280 



JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



metres, is now in full production under bamboos, and the gar- 

 dening operations carried on every year in the thicket formed by 

 the culms give magnificent results. 



" In the present condition of the bamboo trade r ' (remember 

 that we are speaking of the year 1878) " the net annual profit on 

 M. Garrigues' farms varies from eight hundred to a thousand 

 francs per hectare " (from sixteen to twenty pounds an acre — 

 the hectare being, roughly, two acres). 



M. Calvet goes on to point out the value of the bamboo as a 

 forest plant, and especially for fixing embankments and sloping 

 ground. He states that it takes from seven to eight years to 

 make a plantation, which is then composed of culms of all sizes 

 and ages, very closely packed, and the thinning out begins with 

 the oldest shoots, and is thenceforth carried on without interrup- 

 tion. He reckons the cost of planting one hectare (two acres) 

 with bamboos at 8,000 francs (£120). He insists upon the 

 necessity of a light friable soil. The culms take from 45 to 65 

 days to develop themselves, beginning in the month of May. 

 They vary in height from three to nine metres, with a diameter 

 of from one to seven centimetres. 



The species which M. Garrigues has selected for cultivation 

 are Phyllostachys nigra, PJiyllostachys viitis, and Arundinaria 

 japonica or Metake. 



Phyllostacliys nigra is used for walking sticks, umbrella 

 handles, sword sticks, whip handles, fishing rods, furniture, 

 &e. 



P. mitis, in addition to the above, is made into cups, napkin 

 rings, egg-cups, ox-goads, poles for beating walnut and chestnut 

 trees. 



The small canes of Metake, curiously enough, are known in 

 both Trench and English commerce, &c, as "Rice," and are 

 used for pipe- stems, cigarette and cigar tubes, pen and pencil 

 holders, garden stakes, &c., &c. 



Apart from the bamboos grown in France, there was an 

 average annual importation during the five years from 1871 to 

 1875 inclusive, amounting in value to it 86.000 a year. M. 

 Garrigues' experiments go to show that this value might be 

 produced by the cultivation of about 500 hectares 1 1,000 

 acres). 



