Curious Growth Of Rattan

Everyone knows the pretty, light and graceful chairs and other articies of furniture mado from rattan, butcveryone does not know that the extremely toug-h and flexible wood called rattan is that of the climbing palm tree. This curious climber, which is more of a vine than a tree, is said by the Philadelphia Times to be one of the singular characteristics of forest growth in the Celebes and other Malayan countries. Starting with a trunk a little thicker than a man's arm, it winds through the forest, now wrapping a tall tree in its fold, like some gigantie snake, and then descending again to the earth and trailing' along in snakelike curves until it can find some other stately tree to fasten and climb upon in its pursuit of light and air. The forest is so thick and jungle-like that it seems impossible to follow the course of any of these serpent climlers, but there is little doubt that at the last the successful aspirant, which stooped and .cringed so long below, will be found shooting up like a flagstaff a dozen feet or more above the tree which has tielped it to rise. A use of rattan which is unknown to those wbo have not seen it in its native forest is as a water carrier. The thirsty traveler iias at all times a tumbler of cool, refreshing water at his command by cutting off six or eight feet of rattan and putting one of the severed ends to his mouth or holding it over a dish to catch the water.