22 BUnLETIN 1329, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGEICULTTJEE 
It has been stated to be several millions of dollars a year, but this is 
probably an overestimate. It is evident that there is an industry 
here of considerable importance, based wholly on raw material 
secured from abroad. 
Whether any or all of this material can be grown in this countrj^ 
needs to be determined by careful experimental tests extending over 
several years. We must not only learn how and where to grow 
the bamboo but we must be able to impart to others practical laiowl- 
edge as to how to cultivate it, cut it, cure it, and put it in a condition 
equal to or better than the imported product and at a price that will 
pay for our own labor and compete with that of the Orient. This 
is a very large bill of requirements, but in matters of this kind it is 
well to present the actual facts as we see them, and then the real 
problems which haA^e to be met will be better understood. In new 
crop problems all limiting factors must be kept clearly in mind. 
One of the greatest difficulties with bamboos is quantity pro- 
duction on a scale sufficient to warrant commercial firms in becom- 
ing interested. Men who have been in business for years and who 
have located a thoroughly reliable and dependable source of raw 
material suitable for their purpose are ]iot going to change to some 
other source without good reason. The reasons that would prompt 
them to change would be, first, superiority of the domestic product, 
second, lower price, and, third and probablj'' most important of all, 
assurance of a continued supply. It will be many years before this 
country is in a position to meet even the small demands of manufac- 
turers or others using bamboo in their work. For this reason tlie 
domestic uses of the plants have been stressed as a first step lea ding- 
to production in quantity. The domestic production, if carried out 
along the lines suggested, it is believed Avill provide a source of 
plants for propagating purposes that can not well be met in any 
other way. 
With these more or less fundamental and governing economic 
facts in mind, we may turn to other commercial uses of the bamboo 
Avhich would seem to warrant study and experimentation. 
Reference has already been made to fancy fly rods made of split 
bamboo. Several million ordinary bamboos are imported for fish- 
ing rods. These come mostty from Japan and China. They are 
sold throughout the United States and undoubtedly could be grown 
here, but we need to learn how to cut, cure, and handle them. 
Whether with the high cost of labor here this country could compete 
with the Orient in production on a commercial scale remains to be 
determined. 
Bamboo plant stakes for florists' and nurserymen's use are im- 
ported by the million. Three kinds of stakes are used by florists in 
this country: (1) Natural Japanese canes, (2) colored Japanese 
canes, and (3) southern canes (uncolored). 
The natural canes are those grown in Japan and shipped into this 
country without being artificially dyed. They vary in length from 
2 to 10 feet and in girth from the size of a lead pencil to about 
three-fourths of an inch. 
The colored canes are those which are grown in Japan, artificially 
dyed in that countiy, and then shipped here. Most of these canes are 
dyed green. The coloring process is not known. 
