The Canton mail. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 18??-1882, 1875-07-31
A CURIOUS REED.

Of all the wonderful plants of the trop-
les the bamboo is probably one of the
most useful and most remarkable. fot it
not rrly sntSrs into the manufacture of
an incredible number and variety of
articles, and is transformed into count
less ingenious contrivanees, but is even
accounted rs dainty esculent i'll the
countries where it grows, and espe-
cially among the Chinese. Indeed, we
have it from, good and reliable au-
thority-from persons who have actually
tasted of this peculiar edible in ratiouS
forms of culinary preparation-thati it
really is most excellent and whole
some vegetable, somewhat similar in
flavor and general appearance, when
served up on the table, to the common
garden asparagus OF our climes. Only
the green shoots are used, when quite
young and tender, and these, as already
stated, are prepared in a variety of
ways, more commonly boiled and eaten
with sauce. Sometimes they are
picked, or else stewed with spice and
sugar ard put Up as preserves, which
command ready sale at all seasons of
the year, and, of a truth. are uncom-
monty palatable. The Buddhist
priests, who are required to abstain
from all kinds of meat, make a very
extensive use of thi. article of food, as
it is both nourishing and comparatively
cheap.
1t does, indeed. seem "rather queer"
to class the BAN boo among the esculent
productions of the vegetable kingdom,
when we consider the enormous size it
attains for this curious reed not unfre-
quently grows to the prodjgious height
of one hundred and fifty feet or more,
and as it rises majestically far above
the tallest trees its delicate green
foliage gracefully waves and mods at
every breath of wind, like tuft of
long plumes. Its stalk is cylindrical in
shape. very smooth and glossy, of a
light yellowish green. and intersected
with large knots. The branches start
from the very top of the stalk, and
bear an abundance of leaves.
The bamboo is often planted and
raised in thick hedge rows around gar
South Sea Islands and when the wind
sets all those gigantic reeds in motion
they produ ce a strange, weird music
measure terrifies those who have never
heard the like of it before. The dry
stalks, hard as steel without and hollow
within, creaking and swaying to and
fro and rubbing against each other,
sigh and vail like 80 many plaintlve
Eolian harps, sometimes holding the
listener spellbound with 4. the poetic
charms of these incomprehensible mel
odies.
The rapidity with which the bamboo
grows is something perfectly marvel
lous, and might we'll be questioned we're
it not we'll authenticated. It is at the
rate of about four inches in twenty-fou1
hours, and even more than this in Ger.
tain regions.
On the Philippine Islands whole
towns are built of bamboo-houses and
furniture, and even kitchen utensils, all
being fashioned out of it. To be sure,
these houses are but one story high
| and have none of the comforts and con.
veniences of our dwellings; they are
little more than cabins, and the furni
ture in them is, of course. of the most
primitive description. Frail is the
structure, and exposed to immediate
destruction in the event of storm or 6
confagration, but 1t answers the Ma
lays purpose full we'll; it is at most but
temporary shelter. And then, again
he has not far to go for his lumber
Selecting suitable spot on the banks
OF a river close to the outskirts of some
forest, or even in its very depths, he a
once proceeds to erect his house, clev
erly mating together or braiding the
ban boo stalks, or fastening them to
gether with flexible reeds and plan
canes of lesser growth. In a few hour
the edifice is ready for occupancy.
The bamboo is also converted into
aqueducts for conduit pipes for supply
sing towns and villages with water from
neighboring rivers and ponds. Strong
and durable agricultural implements
and farming tools are manufacture
from it, as also water buckets. scales
sJns 81 9 poles and rods which are uset
by hucksters and porters and water
carriers.
In China and some portions of thu
East Indies very common. mode o.
transporting heavy burdens is to carr,
them along in p.ir of huge scales
depending from flexible bamboo rod
worn across the shoulders somewhat
like yoke.
The Chinaman's broad brimmed hal
is made Of split and braided bamboo
the handles of his parasols and fans are
| quantity carved out of bamboo; the
split stalk is woven into baskets Of
every possible shape and size, and also
| furnishes the material for beds anC
bedding, chairs, brooms and lanterns
for sail-yards and scaffoldings, and tents
and cordsge even. The Celestiapt
opium pipe, the very paper he writes
on, and the pencil with which he traces
the hieroglyphic signs and character
are all obtained from the seemingly
iuexhaustible plant, or tree, as it may
we'll be called.
The roots of the bamboo are chiefly
used for carving into those grotesqut
little figures and intricate knick-knackl
upon which the patient Mopgoliar
spends so much time and labor and in
genuity, and often for such slendel
remuneration.
There grows quite abundantly on the
Molucca Islands a species of bamboo
which is so hard that it emits sparks OF
fire when the axe is applied to it. 1t.
wood actually blunts the sharpes
knives. The knots or joints are encesei
in rugose sheaths hard as steel, anG
rough and grained like shagreen
These are used to polish metals an6
ivory.
The natives of the aforesaid islands
and also the Japanese make quite 6
variety Of fancy articles with this cane
such as flutes and whistles and Ions
stem pipes, known as cal,sneets, as vel
as fishing rods and arrows and poisoned
javelins and pixies and darts, the tips o.
which are sharpened to a fine point an6
hardened in the fire, SO that the dart,
aimed as it is with unerring precision
seldom fails to run through and through
the victim it is hurled at.
Bambo0 canes and switches are toe
we'll known and too generally in use to
need any description here. Suffice it tt
say that they have become an important
article of commerce, and, being highly
valued on account of their great fiexi
bility and durability, they always com
mand good prices.
The circumference of some shoots o.
bamboo has often been matter OF won
der, considering the remarkably shor
space of time required for such pro
digious development. The queen o
France, Marie Antoinette, was presented
by the emperor of China with rar
specimen of this abnormal growth o