, 1875-02-13
Paper in Japan.


WHEN a people contrive to make
sauCepans.i fine pocket
and sailors waterproof OvcrCuats out of
paper. they may be considered as having
pretty thoroughly mastered useful art I,
and this Is demonstrated by the above
articles uf japanese manufacture, with
the additional little circumstance that
The sauccpaus are generally used over a
charcoal frc.
According 10 their own account these
ancient islanders wrote upon silk faced
with linen. and also used very thir wood
shavings Tor the same purpose, until
nearly the close Of the third Christian
era About \. y. 9So, paper was first
imported from the COrea, and, supeTsed-
inE the homemade fabrics, mOnOpO-
lied the market until the year \. ID. Gl0
when the King OF the COrea sent two
priests 10 Japan Ia establish the manu-
facture. Thispapcr was easily torn, and
liable 10 be destroyed by worms, and,
besides, did not take the ink well These
manifold disadvantages attracted the al
,rullyu oi TdI-Al, the son OF the reIgning
NlkaGu. who substituted, Is material,
The bark Of 9 species Of paper-mulberry,
which Is still extensively cultivated for
the purpose. BY Tai-hi'- orders the tree
Was planted throughout the country, the
method OF manufacture publicly taught,
and thus the industry WAS commenced
which has since SO prOsper0usly contIn-
usd
At the present time two hundred and
O.. v
tgTcl in Iedd0 In regard 10 this i'm
mcH-e number Of styles, the national
love for furmallties must be considered /;
as for instance, in addition 10 the usual
varieties 10 which We are accustomed AS
appropriate for deeds, public documents,
letters. note, etc thcJapanese list men
tipuS four distinct kinds intended 10 be
exclusively used for poetry and songs
There are also kinds enumerated as en-
uloycd for umbrellas, hats. lanterns and
waterproof clothing, one being described
"a, serving for candlcwick and pocket
haudkcrrhicfS, while another Is intended
for handhcrchiets only, and a third il
used for dressing dolls. Special kinds
are prepared exclusively as wrappingS
for the several STYLES of religious, civic or
social gifts.
The excellence in the manufacture Is
due, IN a great degree, to the fact that
japan furnishes humber of trees and
shrubs with tihrou~ bark particularly
adapted as a material for paper, and sev-
cral plants of which the roots, seeds or
sap yield natural size for the surface OF
the sheet
The species Of mulberry first used in
the cyrnlh century is still regarded as
containing the best fiber, and it is cx-
trnsivclv cultivated The plants are
annually cut down TO the root until the
NTH year, whc1, by this treatment, the
wood hus become dense and strong. The
branches Ue then cut into lengths of
rbDut one yard, and steamed in a straw
vessel over boiler. As soon is the
bark heglag 10 separate from the wood
II is stripped of by the hand, the wood
it-cll being preserved for fuel The
bark is then huIstcd upon poles 10 dry
hy exposure 10 the air. and when dry il
iS separated into bundles weighing about
thirlytwo pounds each The dry bark
Is then Immersed in running water for
twelve hours. after which the outer huSk
or bark is SrTaped of 10 serve aS the
material for an inferior Kind Of paper.
The remaining or inner portion is again
washed IN running water, and, after
pressure under the heavy stones, the
fiber Is boiled with ashes. After an
other washing ii is well pounded and
then nodded into balls. These balls
are next thrown into wooden trough
and mixed with "a pulp, together with a
paste madc from the root of the tororo,
shrub somewhat rcsemhlingxthc cotton
plant. \ portion of this pulp is next
placed in q frame consisting Of an inner
and an outer portion, with false bottom
of plated bamboo \ deXterous and
peculiar Jerk from the skilled operator
SETS the pulp IN the frame, and il is then
So placed rs 10 permit the water 10 drain
OIL The sheet of paper Is lifted from
the frame with piece of bambeo' and
Laid, with "a brush, on drying board. the
side adhcrnE 10 the board forming the
face Of the paper.
The paper warranted to wash" is
made with another kind of paste; and in
the oil-purrr, for waterproof clothes, ii
glue Is used made from Young fern shoots
stained with the expressed Juice of un-
ripe PcrsimmonS. ColorS are applied in
powder mixed with bean paste.
Several OF the trees and, plants used in
the manufacture Of paper are described
as being the object Of careful cultlva-
uoU, especially in the manuring and
preparation @. the Soil-Ariur'S Home
RGguzI1t