The Bamboo. 101 



grows in groups or clumps of some twenty or thirty 

 to upwards of a hundred stems ; these clumps are 

 planted about at irregular distances, sometimes 

 scattered at broad intervals over open grass-land, 

 but at others more closely ranked, and in company 

 with other descriptions of timber, forming a com- 

 plete forest. In either case the bamboo lends a 

 most picturesque character to the landscape, its 

 foliage being peculiarly light and graceful, convey- 

 ing at a distance somewhat the idea of masses of 

 ostrich plumes. Its long, straight, cylindrical stem 

 is universally used by the natives for building pur- 

 poses, for which it is peculiarly well adapted. 

 Vessels for holding water, measuring grain, &c., 

 bottles, buckets, spoons, baskets, shovels, mats, and 

 many other articles are also fashioned from the 

 bamboo. 



In some parts of India, where this useful tree is 

 less plentiful, the planters having regard to the 

 many purposes to which it can be applied do not 

 destroy it when making their clearings, reserving it 

 for use as required. It is, however, generally sup- 

 posed among the Wynaad planters, that the vicinity 

 of bamboos is injurious to coffee, a theory I am 

 aknost inclined to support. 



In order to cut down the bamboo clump, the thorny 

 branches which, proceeding horizontally from the 

 upright stems form a dense and most formidable 



