The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1895-10-09

of the climate, considerable list of tropical
and semi-tropical grasses never seen in Gull
tivation at the North, lend to our gardens
distinctive features.
Of the entire grass family-which is a
vast one-the various bamboos are the
most striking in appearance and equal in
utilitarian value to any of its members.
Every one is not aware that the bamboo is
true grass, while very few have any con
ception of its importance in the economy
of the people of the countries of which it
is native. In China alone the plant is
said to be applied to more than 500 differ
ent purposes Out of it the farmer builds
his dwelling and fences; his farming i'm
plements and his household furniture and
utensils as we'll are made from it, while the
young shoots-which are tender and aspar
agus-like in appearance when they first
break ground him vegetable for
his table. Some Of the species produce
seeds which resemble rice and which are
equally valuable as food. So valuable is
the plant to the Chinese that, despite the
fact that it grows spontaneously and most
profusely in nearly all the immense south
ern districts of China, they give the culti-
walton of it great care and attention. They
even have treatises and whole volumes de-
voted to the subject of growing it most sue
cessfully. This is not to be wondered at
when it is known that there is scarcely any.
thing to be found in China, either upon
land or water. into the composition of
which the bamboo does not enter. And
the same extensive use is also made of it in
Japan, Java, Sumatra, SIAM and other
countries of the far East. In our own coun-
try bamboo cane is being more and more
extensively employed in the manufacture
of furniture which is notable for its ele-
gance, durability and lightness; and a short
time since I read that bamboo bicycle,
weighing only fourteen pounds and show
ing great strength, has been produced
Although the bamboos are native of both
the old world and new, and there are great
numbers of species, almost all are local
| duu luSIG SGGI1lS uO GACSplAOu W Tic 1dCl
that none are indigenous to both hemis-
pheres. AS long ago as 1868 no less than
twenty genera and no well marked species
were known. and later discoveries have IN
doubtedly added to the list No species is
native of Europe, there are but two indi-
genous to the United States-the South
and within very few years but three spe-
cies have been discovered in Australia. 1t
is ia the tropical and semi-tropical regions
of both hemispheres that the majority of
the bamboos are found, and particularly in
the tropics proper. However there are
species of great hardness in the Andes of
Quito, the highlands and mountains of In
dia, and in Japan. In hot countries they
grow with marvellous rapidity-often foot
a day-and attain to mammoth proper
tons. When the shoots break out of the
ground they resemble huge asparagus
sprouts, and their power of growth is such
as to upset stone walls or demolish sub
stantial buildings. One of the Tenasserim
bamboos rises to the height of $50 feet, and
the mast-like cane sometimes measuring
| fully one foot in diameter at the base. A
West Indian species is sometimes nearly as
| high and quite as columnar in its form,
| while the PlatOnia bamboo of the highest