The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1872-08-31
2aiscellaneous.
Paper CLOthing

In some regions it has passed into a sort O
slang proverb that things particularly valua
Bile 'do not grow on every bush :" and we sun
pose this is as true of well stocked ward-rob,
especially lady's-as it is of anything else
Nevertheless, in these days of rapidly multi
plying wants, when so many have "nothinp tc
wear" 1T is reassuring TO know that the num-
ly to be materially increased.
| For some time strange-some of us have
| thought almost apocryphal-stories have come
| to us of the paper clothing, which our newly
made friends In Japan are accustomed to use
However credible and natural it was that Ger
tain articles should be made of this material
when we came to another class-such, for ex-
ample, as under-clothing and water proof over
garments-it seemed little dubious. Il is in
the way of practical demonstration, therefore
that the simultaneous announcement is made
by an enterprIsing clothing house that they
have received an importation of clothing of this
description and, by the Department of Agri-
culture in Washington, that they have already
entered upon the experiment of cultivatng the
trees and shrubs which produce the material
for this famous Japanese paper. No one will
be surprised that it is Boston firm that leads
the way in thus bringing before the public pa
per over-coats, paper capes, under-shirts, leg
gipgs, caps, &c, &c. They say, "the expert
ment is highly satisfactory" The chsracteris-
tics Of the clothing, they assure US, are warmth
and lingtness. Some are white, some black;
warranted waterproof, and of sufficient dura.
bility to last year. The undershirts, which
are made of twisted-paper, nctted, have a pow
er of absorbing perspiration to wonderful de-
gree, and are capable ofenduring twenty wash
ings. If we understand them Alright, using
material made in this country, they propose at
once to enter upon the manufacture OF vests
to.h paper fronts and cotton backs, "the whole
and sJb5 illfully finished, packed in neat boxes,
As to at 81 per Dozen"
partn,ant ~ material used in Japan, our De-
Eeport saw 81 :. Assiculture. in its last monthly
snat 1T Is the product of two differ
IeooI'atiVe9>k[ees or ShEnhs; and th4-h17nnIboP
ry-has been culfrG these-th Sr6nnds 81 .I
department. with the same sanea the wbch ha 10 .ue
.unueE M tne introduction Of the tli.ese muIber
other oIeo. japanese PersmmonNs~N--ats the
o'ner class, used as size; and its proc
an essential element IN the oiled Sems NV
" " men Waterproof clothing is made. T54soI.f
= ~ process OF successful culture in tnsssa.SSo a.So
L Ins oi tne Dseartment. "It doe. Sl.S the
,ersimmon wbictI rs Iuuigeneous 10 the Ooutn-
rn portions of this country butts much larger
nd altogether of a superior quality, and its
uccessful cultivation with us, which may be
cgarded as assured, is matter OF commercial
IS we'll as agricultural Importance.
The most minute and authentic information
which we have thus far had on this whole sub
ect tofJ Japanese paper making has come through
,fficial sources Of the British Government. In
S69 circular letter was addressed to Her
,Iaiesty's Consuls in Japan, directing them to
i've their best attention to this subject, and col
Get and transmit information, together with
samples of the paper. In response to this one
Consul collected specimens of one hundred and
hirty-nine different sorts of paper manufac-
ured in twenty -one out of sixty eight provinces
# the Empire. Another one forwarded sixty,
without, however, giving the precise location
where they were made; another sent taoo
hundred and siTty three specimens Of dsStanet
kinds. All these are now deposited in an Eng
lish museum for the inspection of the curious.
The purposes for which so many kinds ofpa-
per are made are very numerous. Some ofthem
seem TO us whimsical. For example, of writ
ing papers they have separate varieties for
dispatches for letters, for copying, for deeds,
for different official purposes; and four distinct
kinds for verses and songs. In another line OF
use they have distinct kinds for making the
various garments to which we have alluded;
and implements also of different descriptions,
some of which >re hard and heavy, like cook
ing utensils OILERS of extreme delicacy, light
ness and beauty. The Japanese ornaments not
uncommon in the oarlors of this country, the
last few years, are chiefly of this MATERIAL
Still another kind, yben oiled, serves the pur-
noses of glass; and mother, too tough to be
torn across the grain, then torn with the grain
becomes strings, whicl are exceeding strong |
and serviceable. The liter fact may confirm |
the statement as to howlong a similar mate
rial. when made into garrents, will last. And |
we NAV add, as an item M the least interest |
ing to many, that these gaenents are exceed
;n9ly cheap--a water -prooftercoat, complete
lv impervious to the rain, citing there, only |
about thirty five cents!
The history of this manuf@ure dates far |
- some Twelve hundred Nsrs at least
! rho art seems to have been iGrducNd from |
| C,orea, and under royal patronage t. haveSoon |
! xtended and become general. on OF cNe |
hon reigniug Mikado caused paper mulberry
70 be extensively planted all over the eSnn5gs :
W ~ rnoda Of man nufacture tu DC pIomulSa-
anu an ,ona vm tbe people The process, 1t seems
eI t;asu aa 70 emit the mulberry down to the root
ro ofnT fnr ~ Eve wears, so that it may become
inr 49, iou' tb;ct shrub After that they begh TO
,,t tba shoots for making paper. Ihese are
,"adSsne rnG bark stripped off, dried, wasted,
Steaue ai I'd pounded ints els sr~ePcr Polpy site,
Delew which the paper is set in frames or sfes
bamboo. somewhat after the old method in
/ this country of making paper by hand.
Besides the mulberry, there is also anoter
tree-called the Keji-extensively cultivsed
in Japan for it's paper stock. This resemtes
nnr willow. and thrives near the water. Thre
is no reason why this and the paper mulbrry
sbould not flourish in this country, and ppba-
blv furnish cheaper and better materia for
paper than anything we now use.--Dr't9'S'
Journal.