The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1920-03-19

under the royalty system, and while
the more accessible portions were con-
tinually -overfelled, the outlying tracts
were hardly ever touched.
Taken Over by Government.
1t was decided, therefore, that as
soon as the necessary labor and trans
port arrangements could be made, the
department should take over the en-
tire exploitation Of these forests. A
beginning was made in departmental
working during the winter Of 1918,
and the success which has followed
has far more than justified the change
of policy, for during the last three
years the revenue obtained from these
two forests has increased fourfold,
while the actual net amount now re-
ceived for every hundred bamboos
is more than double what was previ-
ously paid by way of royalty.
In the Punjab the telling season for
bamboos is a comparatively short
one. Operations do not commence,
much before October and have to be
completed by the end of January al
though another months work can be
There-are thus only five months in the
year in which feelings can be made,
the reason being that stems felled at
any other time of the year are very
liable to be attacked by the bamboo
borer, a small insect which eats away
tho inSi1n Of hn cta
useless for anything. To fell more
than million stems during five
months requires, however, large
amount of labor. Fortunately, there
is a fairly large local population in
the neighborhood of these forests who,
being for the most part agriculturists,
have little to do in their fields during
the winter months.
How the Bamboo Is Handled.
For telling primitive form of bill
hook is used, which is extremely use
full for getting among the crowded
stems at the base of the clump, though
in unskillful hands great deal of
damage may be done to other shoots
in the clump. The bamboos, having
been telled, are next roughly dressed
of their side shoots aud tops, and are
then tied into bundles Of five, ten or
twenty, according to size. For the |
time being these bundles are thrown |
out on the compartment lines, but at |
the close of the days work are collect |
ed together and carried on the coolies |
bnn1c RI fhn |
which are to be manufactured, that is, |
fired and Strengthened, are put on one |
side, while the others which are to |
be marketed green are loaded into |
carts and sent off to the sale depot |
at the railhead.
Making up the green bamboos into, |
maybe, tent poles Or lance slaves is |
by far the most interesting part of |
the work in these bamboo forests. |
The first stage in making up is care |
fully to clean off all the knots. This |
Is usually done by a gang of small |
boys armed with sharp AIDES. They |
soon become clever at this work and |
rarely spoil bamboo by making a
bad shot and damaging the skin. The |
poles are then cut to length, according
to the purpose for which they are re-
luired, and handed over to the skilled
workmen, known as kamaggars, for
Strengthening. Each pole is now put
through hot wood fire. This not
only makes it supple, but also gives
It rich brown color, and by melting
the dirty waxy covering gives it a
clean and highly polished appearance.
After this all curves are removed by
bending the stem with some force in
IN opposite direction. The instru-
nents. used for this are either an up
light pole planted in the ground, with
slanting holes bored through it to take
he bambOos, or small implement
held in the hand, which is used only
'or small stems and delicate work,
such as lance slaves.