36 AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 
are certain grewsome tales told anent the uses criminal judges 
put it to—for Chinese justice is nothing if not original. It is 
said, then, that criminals convicted of capital offenses and con- 
demned to die are sometimes executed by being bent over a 
vigorous shoot of the bamboo and left until the bamboo has 
grown and thrust itself through the body of the victim. It 
only takes a matter of two cr three days, and certainly for 
cold-blooded fiendishness leaves little to be desired. 
Certain varieties of the bamboo when young are eaten 
as a vegetable. [he young shoots, greatly resembling as- 
paragus, though more pointed, are said to much resemble 
Given a lily pond 
in taste the cauliflower or cabbage. 
stocked with lotus 
and planted on its 
borders with bam- 
boos and caladiums, 
one would have the 
materials for an 
Oriental — luncheon 
that would aftord 
novelty at least. 
From it one could 
Sieur. vie a. Gish) of 
creamed bamboo 
shoots, roast ‘‘taro”’ 
or caladium roots, 
and a salad of lotus 
roots, which are 
white, succulent and 
are eaten raw with 
salt, vinegar and 
other condiments. 
The bamboo re- 
quires no special cul- 
ture. In the north, 
when _ grown for 
ornamental _ effect, 
rich_ soil—the rich- 
ness can scarcely be 
overdone—full sun- 
shine and an abun- 
dance of water are 
all that are necessary during the summer, and rough manure, 
leaves and litter around the roots in winter, with such pro- 
tection for the tops as is available. While the plants are 
small they may be covered by a barrel or hogshead turned 
over them. Later they must be wrapped in straw or other 
protecting matter. Where there is a water system on the 
place a pipe can be carried into the bed and so a constant 
degree of moisture maintained. 
There are many waste places in our Southern States that 
might, with profit, be planted with the bamboo, as without 
doubt it would prove entirely hardy in the Gulf States, and 
prove of much economic value. ‘Though used principally 
—in this country—for chairs, easels, canes and fishing poles, 
its uses are infinite. In China it furnishes the material for 
Arundinaria falcatia spreads its fan-shaped clumps, suckering freely from the roots 
January, 1909 
nearly every article in daily use. It is the basket in which the 
coolie weighs his rice, the stick with which he carries it home 
over his shoulder, the chop stick with which he eats it, the 
material of which the chair in which he rides forth on busi- 
ness or pleasure is constructed. It furnishes the material 
for the parasol, with which he denotes his rank or 
protects himself from the heat of the sun. The fan owns its 
parentage; nor is the pipe with which he solaces his leisure 
hour strange to its manner of growth. It is used for making 
lamps, and its oil is employed for burning; it furnishes the 
paper and the pen with which to write upon it. The bamboo 
grows in immense quantities upon the mountain sides and 
along the water- 
ways; hence it is the 
cheapest, most con- 
venient material for 
all these different ar- 
ticles. Its durability 
and workability are 
astonishing. It is 
hollow, with joints 
from a few inches to 
two feet apart, giv- 
ing the maximum of 
strength with the 
minimum of weight. 
It splits perfectly 
straight and as thin 
as desired. It com- 
bines flexibility with 
hardness, utility 
with bea wie 
strength with grace. 
It is not particu- 
lar as to soil, cling- 
ing to the rocky hill- 
side where the soil 
is dry and poor and 
flourishing in the 
rich alluvial lands 
equally well. It is 
probable that most 
varieties would prove entirely hardy south of the Ohio River 
and along the Gulf Coast, should prove easily acclimated and 
a source of revenue in a very few years after planting, as the 
growth is rapid, and as nearly all varieties spread from the 
roots and “‘suckers,” the single plant of to-day is the thrifty 
clump of to-morrow, or next year. 
Why not, then, plant the bamboo plentifully and at least 
give it a trial? Success with it has been ample enough in 
many quarters to make it well worth the experiment. If the 
plant has not yet been admitted as a permanent addition to 
the American garden be assured this arises more from a 
natural hesitancy to introduce it than from any inherent 
faults of the bamboo itself. It has shown its hardiness in 
many places, and often under conditions of great severity. 
