48 THE BAMBOO GARDEN CHAP. 
which are the future branchlets, are out of sight, imprisoned 
closely as in a strait-waistcoat by the sheaths which clasp the 
stems so tightly that until they fall aside of themselves you 
can hardly strip them off by force. Im Phyllostachys the 
sheaths of the branchlets are developed from the outer scale 
of the conspicuous bud ; and this bud is of no small use in 
helping us to identify the very inconveniently similar species, 
for in each member of the family it has a distinct character. 
In the early spring, before the plants have begun to put forth 
new leaves, in the axils of the ramification are to be seen 
the brilliant, richly-enamelled, scaly buds, which the summer 
will develop into new branches, beginning to swell. <A careful 
observer will then at once be able to recognise the variations 
between the different sorts. In P. mitis, for instance, the glaze 
is of a purplish brown, strongly marked ; in P. aurea it is 
somewhat variable, but pale in colour. Quilioi has the base 
of the bud green and only the tip is brown. Flexuosa has a 
rather dark brownish pink bud ; while in P. viridi-glaucescens 
it is a pale green. The buds of P. nigra and nigro-punctata 
are brown mottled with black, whereas those of Boryana are 
fair in colour, almost .belying its reputed close relationship 
to the two latter. Henonis has a pale yellowish green bud. 
In every instance the bud seems to be strongly characteristic 
of the Bamboo. So much for the general distinctions between 
the two great groups of Hardy Bamboos. 
Almost all the Bamboos which are hardy in this country, 
grow like Couch Grass from rhizomes or creeping rootstocks. 
Some of our Bamboos, such as Arundinaria Simoni, Arundinaria 
japonica (Métaké), Arundinaria Veitchii, Bambusa pygmea, 
Phyllostachys viridi-glaucescens, Phyllostachys violescens, 
