" of the wliolo length of it, which is. common to all Bantbus, 

 ''• and m their muture ftate enlarges into fpacions cavities, ren- 

 <' dering this incltimable vegetable fubfervient to a thonfand. 

 " iifcful domeilic pnrpofes. It is only in the ifland of jf^//)^«' 

 " that the Bambu is thus artificially prepared for the. purpofe- 

 " of a walking cane : and conil:ituting a lucrative article of com- 

 " merce, it is counterfeited at Surat (upon the Malabar coaft)> 

 " and a fpurious fort made of a different wood impofed upon the 

 " ignorant. Tlie name: of Bambu is not Indian^ but was given- 

 " to this plant by Europeans^ as expreffive of the violent ex- 

 <' plofion that comes upon committing its branches to the flames,- 

 " the report of which is faid to equal that of the firing of guns, 

 " and is caufed by the rare faction of great quantities of air, 

 <' which had been imprifoned in its numerous chambers. See 

 " an accurate defcription of the Japan walking-ftick with por-- 

 " tuberant joints, Rumph. Amb. voL iv. lib. 6. p. i8. fe£l. the- 

 ** laft. The minute perforation of the young flioots of the- 

 *' Bainbii is noticed by Rbeede, Hort. mal. v. i. p. 25. fedt. 3. 

 " < Stipites qui ex radice, &c.' So high a fenfe had the Indians in- 

 *' antient times of the multifarious benefits and bleflings of this 

 *' vegetable, that they adtually made it an objed: of divine wor- 

 ♦* fhip, particularly in the ifland of Amboina, Rumph. v. iv. 

 *' p. 18. feft. 3. Ob multipUcia arundinum^ &c." Let me add, that 

 of the germs which fpring from the root is made the fine pickle- 

 called Atsjaar, they are macerated in fait and vinegar, with leeks,, 

 and capfieum pods added. 



Fagara Piperita, 64. Sp. pi. 1. p. 333. Kaempf. Amoen. v. 

 p. 895. Flor. Coch. loi. The bark, leaves, and aromatic fruit 

 nfed in foups. 



Menyantbes 



