CANE. (FR., Canne ; GER., Rohr.) The term "cane " is properly restricted t,o the class of plants known as " rattans," included uuder two closely allied genera, Calamus and Dmmonorops, of which there are many species. They are generally classed among the palms ; but they seem rather to form the connecting link between palms and grasses, uniting the habits of the former to the inflorescence of the latter. On thc differences in their methods of growth, has been founded their classification into " ground rattans," and " climbing rattans," the latter being by far the more numerous and important. Nothing can be imagined more graceful or beautiful than a cane-bush. The plants often grow in extensive plots ; but frequently also as single specimens, creeping to the tops of the highest forest trees, falling again in festoons, alternately trailing and climbing. They sometimes attain the enormous length of 500 ft., though more commonly 250 ft. is the limit, with a diameter somewhat less than half an inch. During growth, the plant is sheathed in a case of numerous and most beautiful leaves, which are stripped off when preparing the canes for market, leaving distinct rings to mark where the leaves have sprung from the stem. The stem, leaves, and tendrils are covered with terrible thorns. The fruit hangs io clusters of about fifty berries, each as large as a cherry, bright, cream-coloured, and edible. The stem contains much water, which may be extracted by cutting off a section and blowing through it. The roots and sprouts, when just above the ground, make a good vegetable. The plant requires R. moist rich soil. It is very widely distributed throughout the Indian Archipelago, Malay Peninsula, China, India, Ceylon, Africa, and Australia, being specially abundant in all the moist tropics of the East, both continental and insular.
Over fifty varieties of Calamus have been identified; those principally entering into commerce are the following :— C. rotang ; stout.
rudentum ; indigenous to the Moluccas.
verus ; indigenous to Cochin China and tbe Moluccas.
draco ; indigenous to Sumatra and the Moluccas ; furnishes the " dragon's blood " of commerce (see Resinous Substances) ; this and the two preceding are varieties of C. rotang.
erectus ; found at Silhet, in India.
Scipionum ; most abundant in the Malay Peninsula; slender ; supposed to yield the malacca cane brought from Siak.
Boyleanus ; grows the fartheat north of any, being found at Dheyra Doon, in India, and plentifully in all the eastern forests of Kumara.
gracilis ; tenuis ; indigenous to Chittagong and Assam.
extensus ; australis ; indigenous to the Louisiade Archipelago.
petrceus ; a variety of C. rotang.
Rattans, or rotans, are among the most abundant of the trees indigenous to the Straits Settle ments; the many varieties are distinguished by the natives as follows :— Sigga ; knotted, used for chair bottoms.
Tiga segi ; three-sided.
Kawat ; used for rigging.
Tawar ; grows on river banks, and drops in long tendrils armed with thorns, which will pull a man out of a boat.
Mannau ; used for walking-canes.
Samgmboo ; also used for walking-sticks; dark coloured and glossy, with joints far apart ; grows to many hundred feet in length.
Dhannan ; very long and thick ; perhaps the largest cane of the species.
Sinnee ; long and delicate ; colour, white ; used by Malays for rigging and cables. Ligor benar ; true rattan.
Jornang ; yields " dragon's blood." Salak ; produces edible fruit : Calamus zallacca.
Bumban ; ground rattan ; grows straight up ; length, about 7 or 8 ft.; used for tying on thatch. Saboot ; used for cables and rigging.
Binni, or Dinni ; has poisonoua leaves.
Oodang ; red rattan ; used for blowpipes for native poisoned arrows.
In Borneo and Sumatra, rattans abouud in all the old and dense jungles in damp situations, and form almost the principal vegetable production. The rattans of Borneo are esteemed finer than those of any other part of the world ; they are exported to Singapore and Batavia in immense quantities from the Coti and Banjar rivers, on the southern and eastern parts of the island. They are collected and brought down these streams on rafts by the Dyaka, for very small remuneration. The principal supplies of Borneo are gathered at Banjarmassing (fine sort), Pontianak (common), Coti (areal], fine), Sarawak (fine and coarse), Sambas (very long, mixed); the chief places of production in Sumatra are Jambi, and Pandagon on the west coast (glossy kind) ; Perak is the most important locality'on the Malay Peninsula.