San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-06-04
THE LACQUER TREE OF JAPAN.
1t Is n Small Tree. the Juice of Which
Makes a Capital Narnish.

49,.
Avery interesting experiment is record
ed as having been conducted at Frankfort
by Professor Rein, of Bonn, so we'll known
for his s~lendidly illustrated work on
Japanese arts. One of the principal of
these arts is that of lacquering, in which
no other nation can excel the japanese.
The art is one of great antiquity and the
old examples are very costly. The lacquer,
unlike the European varnishes and pol
ishes, which are compound substances. con-
sists of the juice of a small tree known TO
botanists as Rhus vernicifera, and this
juice is drawn from the trunks by making
incisions in them, from which 1t flows into
bamboo pots placed to receive it. The
juices of this and all other species of rhus
are extremely acrid and poisonous, blister
ing tfe skin severely if allowed to come in
contact with it. Consequently the Japan
ese collectors use thick gloves to cover the
hands during the process of collecting.
After the crude juice has been drawn
from the tree it is prepared in different
ways by the japanese experts, and the
process of applying it to the wood or metal
work is a very tedious one, and one which
can only be properly effected by a native
artist. The modern lacquer ware of Japan,
however, is a totally different article from
that of $50 or even 100 years g There is
at present a great demand in the European
markets for cheap lacquered articles, in
consequence of which they have to be pro-
duced quickly and in large quantities, 50
that a very inferior article is produced,
both in design and finish. Nevertheless,
the process Of lacquering has never been
mastered by Europeans.
1t has been tried by practical varnish
makers in this country, but always with
out success, and it is now thought by Pro
fessor Rein that if the trees could be estab-
lished in Europe and the juice freshly
drawn from the trunks some of the diff
culties of it's manipulation might be over
come. Considering that several species of
rhus are, hardy plants in our strawberries,
there is, perhaps, no reason why Rhusv YER
]nicifera should not be included among
them. Indeed, this question seems set at
rest by the fact that a number of healthy
trees, some thirty feet high, are now -four
ishirg at Frankfort, the trees originally
planted there having produced seed, from
which other trees nave been raised.
The next question seemed to be whether
the changed conditions of growth and eli
mate would in any way affect the att
or composition of the juice, and to prove
this some of the trees at Frankfort nave
been tapped and the juice sent to Japan to
be experimental with by the native artists.
Besides this, the native and European
juices have been analysed by German
chemists, upon whose reports, coupled
with those of the japanese artists, it is ex-
pected the fate of lacquering as an indus
try in Europe will stand or fall. If the re-
ports on the quality of the juice from
Japan be favorable, it is proposed to plant
the tree largely and bring over some ex-
pert workers from Japan to teach their pc
culiar art to European students. Indus
tries.