naria tecta) have been grazed during the winter for many years in Alabama and other areas of the South.
PAPER PULP. Bamboo fibers have excellent qualities for paper making. Used extensively in the Orient for this purpose, it has possibilities for extensive use in this country.
EXPERIMENTS IN ALABAMA
Experiments with bamboo have been conducted at Auburn since 1933 when the first introductions were made from several nurseries in the United States, particularly the U.S. Plant Introduction Station at Savannah, Georgia. Numerous introductions have been made. Those that have grown successfully are listed in Table 1.
Large scale experiments at Camden were begun in 1959 when a planting of approximately 4 acres of timber bamboo was made to compare yields of bamboo and pine for pulp production. In 1960, approximately 100 acres of five species was planted to study the problems of production, harvesting, and utilization of bamboo. These experiments were initiated with the active cooperation of the New Crops Research Branch of the United States Department of Agriculture. The discontinuation of cooperation by the Department on July 1, 1965 reportedly as an economy measure, resulted in drastic curtailment of planned harvesting research and abandonment of plans for utilization research.
Experiments at Auburn
The tests have consisted of observations on appearance, growth habits, cold tolerance, and yields from cutting treatments.
COLD TOLERANCE. Most cold tolerant species were P. rubromarginata, S. fastuosa, and P. viridis. Next in tolerance were P. aureosulcata and P. nigra var. Henon. Phyllostachys bambusoides, P. meyeri, and P. aurea have been damaged severely 3 years in the 20 years they have been observed.
YIELD OF POLES. Seven species have been harvested for marketable poles. The age at harvest varied from 8 to 18 years. Yields reported in Table 2 are for canes 15 feet or longer. (Those less than 15 feet are not marketable). Production per acre has varied from 11,000 to 39,000 canes. Yields with selective cutting have varied from 2,000 to 10,000 per acre per year. The production of very large poles from the large species, such as P. viridis. P. vivax, and P. bambusoides, would be less; probably about 1,000 per acre would be about the maximum that one could expect to harvest and maintain the grove.
Table 1. BAMBOOS THAT HAVE GROWN SUCCESSFULLY
AT AUBURN, ALABAMA.
Scientific name Common name Source Plant Intro. # Arundinaria amabilis Tonkin cane USDA 110,509 Arundinaria angustifolia ------- USDA 129,301 Arundinaria gigantea Canebreak bamboo or southern cane Local ------- Arundinaria nagashima ------- USDA 75,149 Arundinaria simonii (tall) Simon bamboo USDA 142,492 Arundinaria simonii (short) ------- USDA 75,151 Arundinaria tecta Switch cane USDA 153,804 Arundinaria tecta Switch cane USDA 153,807 Arundinaria tunghomii ------- USDA 139,883 Arundinaria viridi-striata ------- USDA 75,161 Bambusa multilex1 Var. stripe stem fernleaf USDA 99,289 Phyllostachys aurea Fish pole bamboo or Todd’s bamboo Local ------- Phyllostachys aureosulcata Yellow groove bamboo USDA 55,713 Phyllostachys bambusoides Timber bamboo USDA 40,842 Phyllostachys bambusoides var. castilloni Castillion bamboo USDA 42,659 Phyllostachys flexuosa ------- USDA 116,965 Phyllostachys flexuosa ------- USDA 52,686 Phyllostachys makinoi ------- USDA 195,284 Phyllostachys meyeri Meyer bamboo USDA 116,768 Phyllostachys nidularia ------- USDA ------- Phyllostachys nigra Black bamboo USDA 66,784 Phyllostachys nigra var. henon Henon bamboo USDA 24,761 Phyllostachys rubromarginata ------- USDA 66,902 Phyllostachys viridis ------- USDA 77,257 Phyllostachys vivax ------- USDA 82,047 Sasa palmata ------- USDA 75,169 Semi-arundinaria farinosa ------- USDA 77,004 Semi-arundinaria fastuosa Nahiria bamboo USDA 52,671 Shibataea kumasaca Ruscus leaf bamboo USDA 75,157
Table 2. YIELD OF POLES PER ACRE 15 FEET OR LONGER OF VARIOUS BAMBOO SPECIES WHEN ALL1 CANES WERE CUT,
Species Common name Years
Poles 15 ft. or longer
Phyllostachys aurea Fish pole bamboo or Todd’s bamboo 1 33,189 Phyllostachys