Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1881-04-21
ABOUT BRUSHES.

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ABOUT BRUSHES.
FACTS ABOUT THEIR MANUFACTURE-WHER
THE BRIsTLEs COME FROM.
Brushes are among the more common arti
cles in constant use, and like great many
other articles that are universally employed,
there are many interesting facts concerning
them and their manufacture. The varieties
and kinds of brushes are so great that it would
be impossible to give all due consideration
within the limits of newspaper article, but
few facts concerning ordinary bristle brush.
es may interest the average reader.
1t may seem somewhat singular that it
should be necessary to import any article or
material entering into the construction of or
dinary brushes, and yet it is said that there
are millions of pounds Of pigs bristles i'm
ported into this country every year. Amerl
ca is considered great country for the pig.
We export pork in immense quantities, so why
do we have to import bristles The reason
is simply that the bristles on the back Of an
American pig are not sufficiently stiff, and are
of no value except in the very cheapest grades
of brushes. In this country the pig is bred
for pork, and it is usually slaughtered when
one year old, and hence the bristles do not
have the opportunity to become very stiff and
hard. The best and most valuable of all
bristles are those which come from Russia.
In all that country the hogs run wild, fire.
quently reaching the age of eight or ten years.
They are hunted and shot down, and thou
sands of pounds of bristles from their backs
are exported to America, where they are
worth about S. per pound. In Poland near
ly or quite as good bristles are obtained. In
both countries the hogs feed upon bark and
roots, are lank and lean, and valuable only
for their bristles. Large quantities of bris,
ties are imported from Germany, which,
though not quite so heavy or stiff as those
first mentioned, are much superior to Ameri-
can bristles being worth SO per pound. Bris.
ties are also imported from France, being OF
finer texture, and more suitable tor tine
varnish brushes, and worth $3.50 per pound.
American bristes are worth all the way from
thirty FIVE cents to 50 per pound, but, as
stated before, are used only in the cheaper
grades of brushes. 1t is stated on good al
thority, that until within the last five years
all tooth brushes were imported from Eng
land or France, but that within that time
their manufacture has begun in this country,
and that now the home manufacturers can
compete with their foreign brothers. Anoth.
er article used in the manufacture of brushes
is tampeco, a sort of wild grass that grows in
Mexico. When this is colored it is difficult
to discern it from hair. 1t is imported in
large quantities from that country, and is
worth twelve cents per pound. Horsehair is
also largely used in making brushes. 1t is
sometimes mixed with bristles, and sometimes
used by itself. Strange to say it is impossible
to obtain sufficient supply in this country,
and large quantities are imported from South
America, where it is obtained from the names
and tails of wild horses. 1t is worth fifty
cents per pound. Rice root from Brussels is
another material that enters into the construc-
tion of some kinds of brushes, and considera-
BILE quantities are imported.
The manufacture of brushes is not particu.
larly interesting in its various operations,
though some branches Of it require considera.
BILE skill and ingenuity. The material into
which the bristes are set usually comes to the
brush manufacturer partially ready for use,
but considerable labor is required to put the
goods in condition for the market, even after
the bristles are set The first process is to sort
the bristles by taking a handful and passing
them through row of upright steel points,
like the teeth of comb. There are about as
many methods of making brushes as there
are kinds of brushes. In paint brushes the
bristles are arranged around the small end of
conical stick and secured by twine wrap
ping. A great many brushes are made by
inserting tufts of bristles into holes bored in
rows. Oftentmes they are secured by dip
ping the root ends into hot pitch, winding
piece of string around these ends, then dip
ping them again, and quickly and dexterous
ly introducing them with twisting motion
into the holes, where the pitch sets and holds
them. Many brushes, notably hair brushes,
are made by driving the bristles through holes
and fastening them with wire. A skillful
person is known to have drawn FIVE hundred
tufts in an hour, but one hundred in an hour
is considered good work. An ingenious ma
chine has been invented for making flat
brushes which fills from sixty to eighty holes
per minute. Much of the work with bristles
is performed by girls and women, many Of
whom become quite dexterous in the business.
The delicate brushes, called also hair penclls,
used for water colors, are made of hair Of the
camel, goat, badger, sable, squirrel and other
animals, by binding bundle Of them togeth'
er, after being carefully arranged and their
points temporarily protected, and sliding this
through the large end of quill till the points
project sufficiently far through the smaller
end. The tube, having been previously soft
ened by water, contracts as it dries and holds
the bundle Of hairs fast. The best brushes
of this kind are made of hair taken from the
tail of species Of Russian sable.-Boston
Herald.
A STRANGE CURE.-Recently has gone
the rounds of newspapers an improbable sto-
ry of the cure of nervous, painful affection
of rheumatic nature, by an old tramp, who
accomplished the wonderful feat of passing
and repassng the little chap several times
over the back of a jackass. This treatment
wos ronoot tod oyorv dav fnr nine days durinp