16 BULLETIN 1329, IT. S. DEPARTMEXT OF AGEICULXrEE 
value they have uses here which will make their cultivation for cer- 
tain purposes well worth while. 
An endeavor will now be made to point out as specifically as 
practicable some of the more important of these uses, dealing with 
domestic uses first, as it is evident that these will lead the way to 
more extended or commercial utilization. 
FARM-HOME GROVES 
In the territory with which we are concerned, including the South 
Atlantic, Gulf Coast, and Pacific Coast States and some of the States 
of the lower Mississippi Valley where the bamboos that have been 
described will thrive, there are something over 3,000,000 farms. A 
farm, as defined by the United States Bureau of the Census, is all 
the land which is directly farmed by one person, managing or direct- 
ing agricultural operations, either by his own labor alone or with the 
assistance of members of his household or hired employees. 
Upon m^any thousands of these farms there are opportunities for 
the development of small bamboo groves of an acre or two in extent. 
There are no good reasons why most of these farms should not have 
such groves. The giant timber bamboo and one or more of the 
smaller growing kinds, such as the stake bamboo, would be most 
valuable for these farm-home groves. These groves if properly 
handled in the course of years would prove not only a source of 
profit but would be the means of providing many conveniences for 
the farm and home, such as those mentioned in the following 
paragraphs. 
Light fences. — it is often desirable to fence off temporarily a 
piece of ground for a cow pasture or some other purpose when one 
does not want to go to heavy expense. Bamboo poles lend them- 
selves admirably to the construction of such fences. The poles are 
quickh' cut and easily handled. Using poles II/2 to 2 inches in 
diameter and 20 to 25 feet long for stringers and poles 7 feet long 
and 2^2 inches in diameter for posts, two men can fence in an acre 
of ground in a few hours. Holes for the posts may be made 2iA 
feet deep with a post-hole digger or auger, and the stringers may 
be lashed to the poles with bale wire. The posts may be set 10 feet 
apart. 
Many modifications of such a fence may be made, including 
chicken and rabbit proof structures, using slender poles as pickets. 
Nails can not be used for such work, for they split the poles. This 
is one of the objections to bamboo and the use of bamboo materials 
in many kinds of construction work. Americans are so accustomed 
to the use of wire nails that they find it difficult to adopt other and 
m.ore laborious methods of holding the material together. A close 
picket fence can be made, using flexible wire for weaving in the 
pickets. In Japan and China bamboo fences are seen everywhere. 
In these countries it is a common practice to use the brush of the 
bamboo (that is, the tops with branches and branchlets attached) 
for close-woven fences. For the stringers bamboo rods are often 
used. 
Trellises. ^-M^wy forms of trellises for use around the farm and 
home may be made of this light material. Trellises of all kinds for 
use around the dwelling house or other buildings, also wigwam 
