HAEDY BAMBOOS 



GBASS OBDEB 



AEUNDINAEIA 965 



goniums and other bedding plants, pre- 

 paratory to being planted outside at the 

 end of May or Jtine. In taking the plants 

 out of the pots great care must be taken 

 not to tamper with the roots. They are 

 as brittle as glass, and any interference 

 with them is in the highest degree 

 dangerous. The roots, however pot-bound 

 they may appear, wiU soon find their way 

 about in the new soil. Should any have 

 come through the hole at the bottom of 

 the pot, it is better to break the pot than 

 attempt to pull the roots through. 



If possible the newly planted Bamboos 

 should be watered and syringed in dry 

 weather, but the rains of heaven are what 

 they like best. It is a good plan to 

 surround the new beds with wire netting 

 as a protection against rabbits and 

 pheasants (which do harm by scratching 

 round the roots in the newly turned up 

 soil), and for keeping in the dead leaves. 

 In a year or two, when the plants shall 

 have been thoroughly established, the wire 

 netting may be removed, and the Bamboos 

 left to take care of themselves. 



How well they do this may be seen 

 at Kew, where there is a, fine collection 

 planted only a few years ago. One of the 

 great charms about Hardy Bamboos is 

 that they are just in all their glorious 

 beauty in autumn, when other plants are 

 losing their leaves, and flowers are wither- 

 ing, and throughout "the dull winter 

 months they are bright spots in the 

 garden, giving a luxuriant tropical aspect 

 to apparently desolate surroundings. 



Propagation. — Hardy Bamboos may 

 be increased by carefully dividing the tufts 

 about April and May, never in autumn, 

 as the injured roots cannot be replaced to 

 stand the winter. Two or three stems or 

 culms shotdd be left to each rootstock, 

 and a ball of earth round the latter will 

 also be an advantage. The divided por- 

 tions should be planted carefully as above 

 recommended, and afterwards receive a 

 good mulching of cow manure, and a 

 protective layer of leaves, as well as a 

 good watering and syringing. 



Cuttings.— B&mboos may also be in- 

 creased by detaching a portion of the 

 rhizome with a stem attached. The 

 stem is out down to about 1 ft. long, 

 and with the rhizome is planted in rich 

 soil so that the lower joints are well 

 covered. If planted in pots and placed in 

 moist bottom heat, new shoots will appear 

 more quickly. The lower knotty portions 



of the stem without the rhizome will also 

 make plants if plunged in moist heat 

 when potted. The rhizomes themselves 

 may be cut into lengths of 6-8 in., and 

 planted 4-6 in. deep in goo'd loamy soil 

 out of doors, receiving plenty of water 

 during the summer. Only rhizomes of 

 the previous year should be selected for 

 this purpose, as they contain eyes or buds, 

 which the older rhizomes do not. All 

 cuttings are best inserted in spring. 



Seeds. — When obtainable. Bamboo 

 seeds may be sown very thinly in March 

 and April, in rich and thoroughly well- 

 drained sandy loam. About a quarter of 

 an inch of fine soil is sufficient to cover 

 the seeds. The pans or pots in which 

 they are sown should be plunged in a hot- 

 bed, and care should be taken to keep the 

 atmosphere close and moist until the 

 seedlings are well above the soil. A little 

 shade is at first necessary to protect the 

 seedlings from hot sun, but as they 

 increase in size and vigour more light 

 and air may be gradually given ; and by 

 the end of Jime the young plants should 

 be given as much air and sunshine as 

 possible, with plenty of water. It is best 

 to allow the plants to grow in the seed 

 pans until the following spring, when they 

 may be pricked out separately into small 

 pots and placed in heat and shade until 

 established. They may then be hardened 

 off again and grown on plunged out of 

 doors until spring. During the winter 

 months they are safer under glass, where 

 they may remain until the end of May or 

 beginning of June. They may then be 

 planted out into their permanent positions, 

 being mulched, syringed, and watered as 

 before described, and allowed to take care 

 of themselves. 



Unfortimately Bamboos have become 

 terribly confused in the naming, and the 

 same species have been referred at 

 different times to different genera. The 

 names given here are those adopted by 

 Mr. Freeman- Mitford. 



ARUNDINARIA.— Over twenty 

 hardy species are now included in this 

 genus. They are characterised by a 

 graceful tufted habit, with branches in 

 semiverticillate clusters, and narrow 

 grassy leaves. Although many species 

 produce flowers, they are of no particular 

 beauty. It is well, however, to be on the 

 watch for those that ripen seeds, as plants 

 raised from home-saved seed are more 



