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and from these joints spring several stems, 

 which are sometimes eighteen inches in cir- 

 cumference ^at the bottom. These stems or 

 culms are round, hollow, and shining; they 

 grow quite straight, and often to the height of 

 sixty feet; arid they are articulated, or knotted ; 

 the knots being about a foot apart, and each 

 armed with one or two sharp spines. The 

 leaves are narrow, eight or nine inches long, and 

 supported on short foot stalks ; and the flowers 

 grow in large panicles, three or four together, 

 from the joints of the stem. 



The stalks of the bamboo, while young, are 

 filled with a spongy substance which contains a 

 sweetish milky juice ; but they become hollow as 

 they grow old, except at the joints, where they 

 are crossed by a woody membrane such as I 

 believe there is in the knots of all culms. Upon 

 that membrane the liquor rests, and concretes 

 into the substance called tabasheer, or sugar of 

 Mombu which was held in such esteem by the 

 ancients, that it was valued at its weight in 

 silver. It had long been used as a medicine all 

 over the east, but was first made known in Eu- 

 rope by Dr. Russell in 1790. 



The young shoots are dark green ; and, while 

 tender, make a good pickle ; but the old stalks 

 are of a shining yellow colour, and prodi- 

 giously hard and durable : they are used in 

 buildings, in all the farming tools, and in all 



