The Anderson daily intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson, S.C.) 1914-1915, 1915-04-24

hoo is a wonderful thing. In japan.
1t Is said, the plant Is the all-and-ali.
Its tender shoots are eaten for food.
like turnip green's or asparagus. The
mature bamboo Is used for making
furniture, building houses, construct
ing RATS and boats, making aero
plahos. etc. The fibre of the cane is
used In weaving of mats. Large Joints
are sawed off and used as water
buckets. while the joints of a long
section of cane are bored through
with an augar and the things used as
4 water pipe. There are hundreds of
other uses to which bamboo Is nut.
but enough along this line has been
said.
It's Peculiar Growth.
The bamboo cane grows most pecu-
liarly. Ordinary trees spring up from
acorns as tiny shrubs and eradully
develop into full grown giants of the
forest. Contrary to this principle, a
bamboo cane pushes through the
ground at its full size, that is, as re-
CARDS circumference. One sprout
seen yesterday measured ID inches In
circumference. This sprout will moi
get any larger in circumference. but
all OF Its growth will be in one ,li
rection-upward.
The bamboo canes pring up from
roots that run along under the ground
for remarkable distances. For in
stance, root may be planted In a
certain spot. and in few years this
root will have grown in all directions
Tor hundreds of feet. At freqent in
tervais along the root routes these
shoots spring up through the ground.
And the minute shoot pushes its
way through the ground ii starts to
growing tthe rate of a foot a day.
that Is. under normal conditions.
But peculiar fact is that the pa
rent root does not grow at the same
season OF the year that the shoot or
cane grows. During the month of
August the roots push themselves
along undcr the ground, causing the
surface OF the earth to become ridg-
ed, as though moles were burrowing
along underneath the earth crust.
The roots stop growing then. and in
the spring, particularly in April, the
shoots begin springing UP.
Another remarkable fact in conpec.
tton with the growth OF the canes is
that q spout does all OF it's growing
In one season. Unlike tree that
grows from year to year. the bamboo
cane grows to full maturity In one
season, and after that grows no
more; but stands there for a few
years and becomes tougher and hard
er and finally dies.
A Furry Coat.
When the sprouts through the earth
they are encased in a furry coat of
husks. Each joint of the cane Is en-
cased in husk. After the sprout has
reached several feet iii iieisat these
husks begin to fall off. exposing the
beautifully colored cane.
A bamboo cane after reaching n
height of several feet puts out small
graceful branches, and from these de-
icate twigs which are tipped with
small green leaves. The bamboo does
not shed its foliage until a new crop
OF leaves come along and push the
old ones of. Nor do the leaves iade.
The old leaves that are pushed off to
make way for the new ones are as
green when they fall to the earth as
they ever were. e.
There are @ great many interesting
facts about the bamboo grove at Sill
yer Brook cemetery or the one at Mr..
Fants residence which could be told.
The grove is most beautiful, both
from the standpoint or appearance
and the character OF the shade it af-
fords.