58 THE IDYL OF THE SPLIT-BAMBOO 



may place your quarter-section strips concave or 

 pith side up in the vise, to remove the partitions 

 with gouge and hammer, flush with the inner sur- 

 face. The strips will now appear as shown. 



Another effective way of breaking the halves into 

 quarters, is first to remove the ridges and partitions, 

 then to place the pieces between the vise-jaws, hori- 

 zontally on the flat, and screw up the vise till the 

 bamboo cracks. 



Of course the worker must have a workbench, 

 which need not be over six-feet long, with a level 

 top not less than fifteen-inches wide, and it is import- 

 ant that it be so situated that operations may be con- 

 ducted in a good light; and as to the vise, he will 

 find that one of cast-steel, with four-inch jaws hav- 

 ing hardened faces, will serve nicely, as well as for 

 all other purposes of household carpentry and re- 

 pairing. (Don't suppose for a moment that you 

 are going to manufacture " fishing-poles " in the 

 house with impunity and balk at mending a broken 

 chair, or at some other little odd-job that wifey jogs 

 you about.) Such a vise will cost from three to 

 four dollars as against the six or eight dollars asked 

 for one of forged steel ; and it will fulfill all the func- 

 tions of the more expensive tool excepting for such 

 heroic work as bending a stiff piece of iron held in 

 the jaws, by striking it against the side with a heavy 

 hammer. 



Our quarter-sections of cane are now ready for 



