1S70 ] 
BAMBOO SHADING, 
7') 
laced about every 9 in. apart with a coarse, 
strong, and durable twine, made from the outer 
husk of the Cocoa-mrt, in widths of from 8 ft. to 
10 ft., and in lengths as recjuired. The rods 
when put up run horizontally ; the mat, being 
perfectly flexible and very light, can, when in use, 
be easily rolled up by a cord in the usual way. 
Bamboo rods are nearly as light as reeds, 
therefore there is no fear of glass breakage, yet 
they ai’e too substantial and stiff to allow of the 
wind getting beneath and doubling them up. 
Bamboos, being coated externally with a polished 
siliceous glaze, are strengthened, stiffened, and 
rendered waterproof and durable. A water¬ 
tight covering is, however, necessary to protect 
the mats when rolled up from wet, which, 
though it would not damage the rods, would in 
time rot the fibrous interlacing twine; the latter, 
however, is very wiry, dries easily, and will 
fruit blossom. In full summer they may be 
used, again, as a shade to protect, out-of-doors, 
tender plants from scorching sunshine or sharp 
keen winds. When used outside walls .and 
windows, facing south, they form an admirable 
shade in summer tropical weather, where the 
full sunshine would render the interior of the 
apartments inconveniently or injuriously hot 
or light, with, however, this advantage, that, 
while conferring coolness, they admit a subdued 
light and give a pleasing brightness, far prefer¬ 
able to the gloom and shade of closed shutters 
and darkened windows. 
In the woodcut given below, the bamboo 
mat is shown partially unrolled at a, with 
the box at top for its protection, the mode 
of rolling up, and the staples, at the bottom 
of the box inside, to which the upper 
edge of the mat is attached by stout twine 
stand a great deal of wet before rotting. Each 
rod is kept a little apart by means of the twine, 
hence there are little interspaces allowing a 
small portion of the sun’s rays to pass inside, 
whilst others are broken up and somewhat re¬ 
flected by the glossy sides of the rods ; thus 
scorching is done away with, whilst a large 
amount of diffused light is admitted. The 
material is very durable; and the mats cannot 
be doubled up by the wind. Being light, they are 
easily rolled up, and in consequence of their stiff¬ 
ness, wind up easily on a couple of bearers, 12 in. 
or 18 in. above the glass, thus admitting a cool 
current of air between mat and glass. All the 
fittings they require are a box at the top to 
keep away wet, staples screwed in above to hoLl 
them up, a screw pulley, and a wooden roller. 
From spring frosts, these mats, suspended in 
front of and a little distance from the wall, 
will form an admirable protection for wall- 
at B, the cover of the box has been removed, 
to show the mat rolled up when not in use; 
CO are the bearers upon which the mat is 
supported, ten to twelve inches above the level 
of the glass; dd, the screw pulleys round 
which the cords run which pull up the mats. 
To let down the shading, the cords which have 
been fastened to the hooks placed in the front 
wall below the glass are loosened, when the 
mats will fall down by their own weight. In 
rolling up again, the cord must hang straight 
. down the middle of .the mat, and should be 
pulled up steadily and fastened. The mats are 
fastened above to five or six staples, firmly 
driven in at the bottom of the box-cover inside, 
b}^ tying to them the thick bamboo at the end 
of mat with strong twine. It is recommended 
to have a wooden roller tied by string to the 
lower end of the mat, to make it roll up more 
easily.—T. Mooee. 
