Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-02

they enter their homes, and they never
wear them inside the churches or mosques
The black Of the American shoe would look
out of place, for every Moorish gentleman
likes delicate pale yellow. AS to the Wo-
men, they wear red slippers of soft Morocco
leather, and the better classes of them have
their footwear embroidered with gold ana
silver. In the house most OF the girls go
barefooted, and no one wears French heel
Indeed, heels worn on no shoes mere,
and even fine Morocco boots are heelless.
All the footwear is handmade, land that
made in Fee is sent to different parts OF
the country.
The Moors do not want stockings. or the
100000 Inhabitants Of this country 9,oO0,-
OcO have never heard of them, and VEN
ture there are not 10000 women In the
whole empire who clothe their legs in that
way. Only the very well-to-do put them
on upon occasions. and such persons are
the Moors who have been affected by for
eign influences.
Our hat makers need not send their
wares. These people use turbans, with
skull caps under them to cover their
smoothly shaved scalps, and they some
times pull the hoods Of their gowns over
their heads in addition. The Jews wear
caps of black felt which ft close, and the
Jewish women wrap their heads in silk
handkerchiefs.
Chance for American Flour.
At present there might be a small sale
for American -four if it were shipped here
in such packages that it could be carried
by mules over the country. Morocco has
some of the best wheat soil Of the world,
and If it had a government like ours with
Secretary Wilson at the head OF it's agri-
cultural department, it would be competing
with our country in the bread markets OF
England At present most Of the grain is
consumed in the localities where 1t Is
raised, and the agricultural methods are
so rude that it is high-priced, notwithstand-
ing the low wages. Farm hands get about
ten cents a day and they board themselves.
The blowing is done with crooked stick
by means of oxen, mules. donkeys or cam
els. The pitchforks are crotched sticks,
sharpened at the ends. Shovels and spades
are unknown. A Moorish pillow costs about
fifty cents, an OK yoke fifteen cents and
the rude hoe which Is commonly employed
twelve cents. The grain is carried from
many localities on the hacks of camels In
long bags made of palmetto leaves. One
such bag will hold ten bushels and form
fair load for a camel. Here in Tan
gier the grain is transported by donkeys
from one part of the town to the other
in fOur-buShel bags. Two bags are good
load for donkey.
Queer Mills and Bakeries.
The ordinary Moroccan stomach would
be surprised at American flour. The
bread of the country is made of meal
ground at home. Every family has it's
own mill, consisting of two rude grind
stones one on top of the other, the grain
being poured through a hole in the top
stone These stones are turned by the
women of the family and as they are
fragile. bits of them come off and mix
with the -four leading to broken teeth
and bad digestion.
l wish l could show you Moroccan
bakery. There are scores Of them in
every town, and baking is regular pro-
Foes 70 do hal yiv,cr
at home. They make their flour up into
dough for bread and cakes, and send it
to the nearest bakery to be cooked. Often
baker will have his regular customers
gowned dark-faced urchins, to bring in
the dough. They usually carry it upon
boards which rest upon their heads, and a
few hours later take back the baked ar
tcle. The baker gets 10 per cent of the
amount of dough sent and loaf of that
proportion is always put in for his pay.
These bake ovens look like caves. They
are found here and there along the main
streets of the cities. One steps first into a
dark cellar-like room. where the proprietor.
a white-gcwned, turbaned Moor, sitting
cross-legged. watches the count and bosses
the laborer who has charge of the oven
This man is none too clean. He has a long
paddle upon which he puts the loaves of
dough and places them upon the oven
floor This Is on about the level of the
floor of the room. and the baker stands in
a pit at the front of 1t. The ovens are
long. They have fire of twigs in one side
of them. SO arranged that by means of
draughts the smoke Is carried away. The
loaves are usually of the size of tea plate
and about two inches thick. They taste
good. The baker sells the extra loaves,
which he takes in trade and there are
bread peddlers in every market. They are
usually women, shrouded in white blankets
who hide their faces from the men as they
sell. but nevertheless keep a sharp watch
with one eye through hole in their head
shawls for their change.
American Machinery.
The Morocco Of today offers but few on
portunities for the sale of American ma
chinery. As to farm Implements the peo-
pie are too poor to buy anything that Costs
much. The country is divided up into an
infinite number Of small holdings, and all
outside the officials and chiefs and mer-
chants live from hand to mouth. The tax
gatherers also attempt to collect one-tenth
of all crops.
Labor here is backward as In the days
of the middle ages All over Morocco logs