Klarinet Archive - Posting 000174.txt from 1996/06

From: Douglas Sears <dsears@-----.ORG>
Subj: Re: Reed cane in Southern Maryland
Date: Wed, 12 Jun 1996 16:17:18 -0400

On Tue, 11 Jun 1996, James Fay wrote:

> Several years ago, a former member of Klarinet was able to send me
> 4 arundo donax plants, which he got from a farmer in Columbia, South
> Carolina. I planted them, not expecting much.

I bought a small Arundo donax from a local nursery for $10, and planted
it a few weeks ago. I guess it'll be a few years before I can say
anything from direct experience.

> a decent crop, not quite large enough for clarinet (that needing OD 20-24mm).

My main goal is getting canes appropriate for Egyptian classical nays,
which requires rather short nodes (typical: about 8 cm nodes for 2.0 cm
OD, 5.5 cm nodes for 1.7 cm OD). I expect to have plenty of waste, and
I'll check it out for suitability for clt reeds. I have no idea if
Oregon growing conditions will produce good material for either purpose.
It's cool and wet all winter, with clay soil.

> Also, I have harvested each season's crop, cutting it all down.
> Wondering if it should be alowed to grow for 2 years, then harvest.

Following your suggestion about doing a Lycos search, I found this:

"Only the mature cane poles, those which are two to three years
old, are harvested. They are easily identified by wilted, gray husks
and off-shoot branches on the poles top. Younger poles lack dense
fiber and overall maturity; also removing younger poles harms the
plant."
(from Harvesting Reed Cane
http://www.ricoreeds.com/tour/page7.html)

--Doug

--------------------------
Doug Sears dsears@-----.org/~dsears

   
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