BAMBOO. 39 



north of Scotland, mats, floor-brushes, ropes, and 

 hats are manufactured of it ; and in China, the 

 sailors, in rainy weather, use large hats, jackets, 

 and trowsers, made of reeds laid close together, 

 from which the rain runs off, as from the feathers 

 of water-birds. 



The Bamboo, a native of the East Indies, is 

 another species of reed, Arun'do bam'bos of Lin- 

 naeus, the stalks of which are almost solid when 

 voung, but become hollow as they grow older, 

 except at the joints ; they sometimes measure fifteen 

 inches round, and sixty feet in height ; and being 

 strong, durable, and very light, are much used in 

 the construction of buildings, and for making fur- 

 niture. In the East they serve also for the poles 

 that support a sort of litter orbed, called Palanquin, 

 which is carried about by men, and used like a 

 sedan chair in this country ; only that the palan- 

 quin bearers put the poles upon their shoulders, 

 instead of holding them in their hands, like our 

 chairmen. 



In Malabar, Bamboos are trained over iron 

 arches, and when they have acquired a curved form, 

 they are used to support the canopies of the pa- 

 lanquins : a lofty bamboo arch of this description 

 is of great value. 



EDWARD. 



But if the stems are hollow, how can they be so 

 strong ? 



D 4 



