The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-02-08
Paper of Avoavo Bark.

, Vice Consul llUnt transmits from IamItayr .
! translation OF an article rom the 'omnll or
cIcl on the Manufacture OF AntIhnurp papci.
It is rs folluw,:
! 9Th" manufacture Of paper hy the \nt'imor
, Core OF the ode.l tribes anon. the inhabitants
Of MLdagasCal), which l. completely unknown q
the other tribes of the island. constitutes 4
regular local industry in the district ot hnh'
hrono DAly limited number OF persons, io'
.csldLntS ut the same family, belonging Ia In,
Arabs IRON the coast Ut Africa, know The 'cc.vt
| ID! ;hiS mInufac ;urc, and devote themselves Ia !!
Whenever pics>in. need Ot monhy or 4 desire
To purchase some long.wiSIietiOr article CGI'
pes them Ia shake off their native indo!cnac,
,'ihr paper, which is supple and re,v strong
and las appearance ui parchment. which
gives 1t tho imprint of quaint originality, is in
great favor with The .iulaimoro, and thrle j.
rot 4 iamly--nIt homc-that does not pos
se,1 dozen on 81 Sheet', Calctu.ly stitched t''
gethrr aud handed down -roiu generation -
sen ration, In these parchmtntS there are lelir-
iou,ly preserved the family traditions, and
chronicles ot past events,
''Th!S quaint gggumerIlion Of Arabic hcro
slyphics, vita MLlag,y sentences and iSnres in
the same vowne--which the owner will only
part with for lis weight in goht--onght 10 'ur'
nish the Dhiophilc a document decidedly ont Ut
the common
The manufacture III this peculiar paper WI,
apparently 4 man east ON the coast in the mid
die Ut The Ninth century, who settled on tie
MatitInana river Tradition represents him ~
h0rrihrd at seeing hi, Koran torn, doubtless due
TO the stirring adventures OF his voyage, AMI
pu2Zing his brain IL make clean Copy, ~
per!meuiing with different barks Of trees nc
finally fixed his choice cn the avoavo, ,hc bark
oi which Is easily leduGibe To pulp. The ave.
avO is 4 wild shrub with sholt branches OF an
average Thickness Ut to inches in diameter
and 10 II feet in height the Leaf resembling
very much a bay leaf II Il met with eyerS,
where ON the coast aud in the interior oi tie
district, and the bark can be utilized At any
season Of the year
after taking Of IA" outer skin, which is II
the grayish tint peculiar tn tree, in general, the
inner part, perfectly white and somewhat sticky
Is removed and formed into Il big ball. which is
placed in running water To soak This ball l.
picked 10 pieces ,ilc by little. and the pieces
thus separated are washed and placed in large
pot with certan quantity oi water; the mas
is then covered with ashes followed by second
layer of bark, again covered with ashes, aud 20
ON until the poi is tlrec'quarters fall, The pot
is then lled with water the lid put on, and lie
whole boiled for two or three days without inter:
Wpion, care being taken TO add very clean
water ironi time to time 10 replace the loss ty
evaporation, always throwing in handful "
ashes.
"on the morning Of the third day the bark,
completely reduced by cooking, looks like "A
thick batter. which is then passed through 4
sieve and washed In fresh water. II is then
beaten, brskly kneaded, and under the pressure
OF the fingers is transformed into a soft dough.
which is spread. stll damp, ON the green leaves
OF the travellers tree, with a special tool, CON
>sting OF two rods about rs inches long, joincl
by stats oi latia Sood, the only wood, applr-