„g 0 Dr. Russell’s Account 
“ gli intermezzi de’ nodi, fi genera un certo liquore dolce 
“ e grofl'o, e ridotto in guifa di farina d’ amido, e della iftefla 
“ bianchezza, et alle volte fe ne genera aflai, aile volte poco, 
“ ma non tutte le canne, ne meno tutti i rami generano tale 
“ humore Quefto liquore dopo d’ eflere apprefo, 
“ moftra d’ eflere di color nero, over cinericcio, e non percio 
it g tenuto per trifto, imperoche quefto avviene, o perche lia 
“ troppo humido, 6 perche fia flato lungo tempo nel ltgno rin- 
“ chiufo, fi come s’ hanno penfato alcuni : conciofiache in molti 
46 rami, che non fono ftati toccati dal fuoco, mti av enga quefto *• 
The exiftence of this fluid in the bamboo is known by 
{baking the joint. In a confiderable number of bamboos fplit 
in order to procure it, I never found water in more than two 
joints, and generally not more than two or three drams in 
each ; the largeft quantity procured at one time was one ounce 
and a half. Very few joints in proportion contained any. 
The fluid was always tranfparent, but varied in conliftence ; 
when thicker it had a whiter colour than common ; when 
more dilute it differed little to the eye from common water, or 
fometimes had a pale greenilh caft. Applied to the tongue and 
palate, it had a flight faline, fub-aftringent tafte, more or lefs 
perceptible in proportion to the conftftence of the fluid. After 
evaporation in the fun, the refiduum had a pretty ftrong faline 
tafte, with lefs aftringency. Some of the fluid, of a darkifti 
colour, thickened in the reed to the conftftence of honey; and 
fome, in another joint of the fame reed, was perfectly white and 
almoft dry : both had the fharp fait tafte, which theTabalheer 
itfelf lofes in a great degree by keeping. 
From two green bamboos, each of five joints, which had 
been cut only a few days before, I procured above two ounces 
* Capitolo XII 8 
of 
