D HOW I KILLED THE TIGER. 



splendid barriers against the inroads of cattle. 

 A few words here about the bamboo, the most 

 gigantic of grasses. There are many species, 

 which are applied to various useful purposes. In- 

 deed it would be difficult to point out an object 

 in which strength and elasticity are required, and 

 for which lightness is no objection, for which the 

 stems are not adapted in the countries where they 

 grow. These are some of the uses to which the 

 bamboo is applied hollow cases, bows, arrows, 

 quivers, lance shafts, masts of vessels, bed posts, 

 walking sticks, the poles of palanquins, the floors 

 and supporters of rustic bridges, scaling ladders, 

 durable water pipes, rafts for floating heavy timber, 

 the frame work of houses, floorings of houses, 

 scaffolding, planking, uprights in houses, roofing, 

 bamboo ware, fishing rods, handles of parasols, 

 books, carts, musical instruments, paper, pencils, 

 rulers, cups, baskets, cages, crab-nets, fish poles, 

 pipe stems, sumpitan or blowing tubes, chairs, 

 seats, screens, couches, cots, and tables. Parts of 

 it too, can be candied, or used as pickles. The 

 bamboo flowers once in thirty to sixty years, and 

 dies. Its beauty when growing is as remarkable 

 as is its usefulness when cut down. 



One villager, a little pluckier than his fellows, 

 volunteered to take me to a part of the field 

 where there was an opening in the bamboo fence. 



