CHAPTER III 
CHOICE OF POSITION, SOIL, AND CULTURE 
Bampoos are hungry plants and well repay generous treatment. 
They should be planted in rich loam, not too stiff, and for 
the first year or two should be well mulched. <A good plan 
is to cover the roots with a liberal dressing of cow manure, 
adding a thick layer of dead leaves on the top. ‘This 
protects them from frost in winter, and, by preventing 
evaporation, keeps the underground stems moist in summer. 
In order to prevent the leaves from being blown away and 
to keep out rabbits, the clump should be surrounded with 
wire netting. In three or four years, when the plants shall 
have been thoroughly established and made good growth, 
they may be left to take care of themselves, but they need 
a little coddling at first. Where water is available they 
should be well irrigated during the period of growth, but 
a wet place is very hurtful and often fatal to them in 
winter when the frost sets in. The more they are sheltered 
from wind the better; especially must they be protected 
from our cutting north-easterly winds in spring. Plants 
that have to face the terrors of the typhoon in their own 
country are not so liable to be injured by the softer and 
damper southerly and south-westerly winds. Still, shelter 
