The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1875-07-23
A Curious Reed-The Bamboo


les the bamboo is probably one of the
most useful and most remarkable, for It
not only enters into the manufacture OF III
Incredible number and variety of articles,
anu is transformed into counties lngeni-
Gus cOntrivances, but is even accounted as
a dainty esculent in the countries where it
grows, and especially among the Chinese.
Indeed. we have it from good and reliable
authority-frOm persons who have actual
ly tasted Of this peculiar edible in various
forms of culinary preparation-that it
really is a most excellent and wholesome
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
and put up as preserves, which command
a ready sale at all seasons of the year, and,
of atruth, are uncemmonly palatable. The
Buddhist priests, who are required 70 alb
stain from all kinds of meat, make a very
extensive use of this article of food. as it
is both nO%nrishing and comparatively
cheap.
1t does, indeed, seem rather queer" to
class the bamboo among the esculent pro-
auctions of the vegetable kingdom. when
we consider the enormous size it attains {;
for this curious reed not u~nfrequently
grows to the prOdigiOus height of one hun
drcd and fifty feet or more, and as it rises
majestically far above the taliest trees its
delicate green foliage gracefully waves and
mods at every breath of wind, like Il tuft
of long plumes. 1t stalk is cylindrical i'll
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 album
dance OF leaves.
The bamboo is often planted and raised
in thick hedge-rOws around gardens and
large estates in China and the South Sea
Islands; and when the wind sets all those
gigantic reeds in motion they produce a
strange, weird music which at once aston
isheS and in a measure t~errities those who
have never heard the like of il before. The
dry stalks, hard as steel, without a hollow
within, cracking and swayin@ to and fro
and rubbing against each other, sing and
wall like so many plaintive EOlian harps.
sometimes holding the listener spellbound
with the poetic charms of these incOm-
prehenSible melodies.
The rapidity with which the bamboo
grows is something perfectly marvellous,
and might well be questioned were it not
we'll authenticated. 1t is at the rate of
about four inches in twenty-fOur hours,
and even more than this in certain re-
giOns.
On the Philippine Islands whole towns
are built of bambOO-houses and furniture,
and even kitchen utensils, ali being
fashioned out of it. To be sure, these
houses are but one story high, and have
none of the comforts and COnveniences OF
our dwellings; they are little more than
cabins. and the furniture in them is. of
course, of the most primitive description.
Frail is the structure, and exposed to i'm
mediate destruction in the event of a
storm or a confiagratiOn. but it
the Malay's purpose full well it is at
most but a temporary shelter. And then,
again, he has not far to 60 for his lumber.
Selecting a suitable spot on the banks of a
river close to the outskirts of some forest,
or even in its very depths, he at once pro-
ceeds to erect his house. c~leverly mating
together or braiding the bamboo stalks.
or listening them together with flexible
reeds and plant canes of lesser growth.
In a few hours the, editice is ready for Oc-
cupancy.
The bamboo is also converted into aque-
duets for conduit pipes for supplying
towns and villages with water from neigh
boring rivers and ponds. Strong and du-
rable agricultural implements and farming
tools are manufactured from it, as also
~water-bucketS, scales, trucks, hOds. and
the various descriptions of poll and rods
which are used by hucksterS and porters
and wateT-carriers.
In China and some portions of the East
L dies a very common mode of transport
ing heavy burdens is to carry them along
in a pair of huge scales, depending from a
flexible bamboo rod, worn across the
shoulders somewhat like a yoke.
The Chinaman'S broad brimmed hat is
made of split and braided bamboo; the
handles of his parasOls and fans are quaint
ly carved out of bamboo; the split stalk is
woven into baskets of every possible shape
and size, and also furnishes the material
for beds and bedding, chairs, broOms and
lanterns, for sail-yards and scaffoldings,