What are river cane arrow shafts????

[mochasam]

I see tradgangers talking about river cane arrow shafts , what are they?

[wingnut]

River cane is a native bamboo like plant that grows along river bottoms thoughout a lot of the country.

Mike

[TexMex]

Make good tough arrows  

[Matt E]

It is a slang name for a certain type of bamboo/grass. I think most people think of it as switch cane.The more common nane in my area of the south east.I haven't been able to find the word, river cane, in any official reference book on native flora.

[the Ferret]

http://www.tva.gov/river/landandshore/stabilization/plants/river_cane.htm

http://www.bamboogarden.com/Arundinaria%20gigantea%20ssp.%20gigantea.htm

[Aeronut]

Here's a method on turning it into an arrow.  Mickey has a good info site too.

http://groups.msn.com/HanArchery/shoebox.msnw?albumlist=2

Dennis

[the Ferret]

River Cane, Cane (Arundinaria gigantea)
Description: A grasslike bamboo with short side branches and small leaves. Commonly seen along rivers, creeks, and low-lying areas throughout the Southeast. Its leaves often lack stalks (petioles) and the leaves are often deciduous in winter, especially in Zone 7.

Native Habitat: Grows from Maryland west to Missouri and south to Florida and Texas. Especially abundant in the Mississippi valley.

Size: There are two varieties of river cane. The most commonly seen variety is "switch cane" or subspecies tecta which rarely grows over 5 feet. However the larger variety gigantea can grow to 20 feet or more, with culms growing to about one inch in diameter. Before European settlement, some stands of cane grew to a much larger size. William Bartram mentions one grove on the Tombigbee River with culms 30 to 40 feet high and 3 or 4 inches in diameter.

Cold hardiness: Hardy to at least -10 degrees F. Plants from inland locations may be hardier than plants from coastal areas.

Culture: Plant in full sun to light shade in a well-drained soil.

[TexMex]

Here is the way I learnt how.    

http://groups.msn.com/ferretsarcherywebpage/rivercanearrows.msnw

[the Ferret]

Nice tute Dennis

[Matt E]

I see the word,River Cane, used a lot but in my dicionary it doesn't appear?....... Mickey ,you mentioned that there are two types of reeds called river cane? Which is which? I have come to the conclusion that different people in different places call different bamboos River Cane.I think it was meant to mean Switch Cane but I am not sure.I am curious as to how long ago this name came about and where?The first time I came across the word was in the archery field.

[the Ferret]

Matt check my two links above. Different species

Rivercane: Arundinaria gigantea

Swirchcane: Arundinaria tecta

difference is diameter and length

for our purposes it's all river cane  

[Matt E]

 I agree with your last sentence..... A friend and I are heading to the cane fields at 11:00 , finally!

[Aeronut]

I wish we had some of it growing around here.  My brother has a half-mile stretch of creek so maybe I can transplant some.

Dennis

[Pat B]

Arundinaria was very important to the local Native Americans not only as arrow material but for blow guns and split cane was used for basket making and maybe even mattes. It is being planted along the French Broad River, near here to help stabilize the banks of the river.
  I have always called A. tecta switch cane and A. gigantia river cane. I prefer switch cane(tecta) for arrows but gigantia makes good arrows also. Their nodes are larger and the walls thinner.   Pat

[ncboman]

fyi, there appears to be a good bit of gigantia growing along the road on the south side of Mattamuskeet Lake in eastern NC.