24 BULLETIIs^ 1329^ U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGEICULTUEE 
installation of the different booths. This proved so attractive and demonstrated 
so clearly its use that the people visiting the exposition ordered material of 
the heavier weave for summer cottages in California. 
Light bridges, bridge sills, fence posts, and temporary telegraph 
and telephone poles are other objects for which this large bamboo 
may be used. 
In connection v^'ith temporary Army engineering work, especially 
in the Philippines, bamboo has been found useful in the hasty con- 
struction of bridges and trestles. Army engineers point out the 
advantages of bamboo for such use as follows : 
It is very light in proportion to its size and strength and easily Qut and 
handled. Its annular cross section adds greatly to its strength, both columnar 
and transverse. It occurs in sizes convenient for use. 
The disadvantages of bamboo for high bridges, etc., are as follows: 
It splits and crushes easily and can not be secured by either bolts or spikes. 
Lashings will not hold securely if any great strain is brought upon them. 
Bamboo can not be notched or dapped without seriously diminishing its 
strength. It is diflScult to cut down and drag out of the clumps in which it 
grows and can not be obtained in large sizes. 
Despite these objections bamboo for temporary bridges, trestles, 
etc., has proved very useful. 
Bamboo is successfully used in the manufacture of baskets, blinds, 
and certain types of furniture. Its use in furniture making would 
doubtless require a good many modifications to adapt it to American 
practices. A number of years ago the late Frank N. Me^er, Agri- 
cultural Explorer for the Office of Foreign Seed and Plant Introduc- 
tion, discovered a quite important bamboo manufactory in the Rus- 
sian Caucasus. He was traveling near Chavka, where the climate 
is much like that of som.e of the Gulf States, particularly northern 
Florida. The summers are long and hot and more or less humid, 
the autumns long and warm and dry, and the winters very short 
and rather wet. Mr. Meyer found four principal bamboos of the 
large timber types being grown and used in the manufacture of fur- 
niture of various kinds, including plain chairs, rocking-chairs, 
settees, tables, and stands. This furniture is popular and sells at a 
good price. 
Mr. Meyer noted in connection with this utilization of the bamboa 
that the material had to be steamed to keep it from cracking. Bam- 
boo canes, when cut, are placed in iron cylinders II/2 to 2 feet in 
diameter. The canes are pushed into these cylinders until they are 
full; then the doors are closed with bolts and steam is applied at 
high pressure for about an hour. When the canes have been in the 
cylinders sufficiently long, they are taken out while yet warm and 
wiped Avith wet rags. They are then allowed to cool by placing 
them on racks in airy barns where the wind has free access and 
where the sun does not shine. Steaming prevents cracking. To 
bend the smaller pieces of bamboo for furniture and decorative fence 
making they are first filled with dry sand to the joint to be bent; 
then a flame from a plumber's torch is a])])lied. The bamboo is 
slowly bent Avhile it is being heated. When this is done carefully 
few pieces break under the process. 
