The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-08-23

the strength and vitality that rug Cd" have. ,,,, man ,,facture depends on the American mar ket At one time London was the rug market of the world. At the present time comparatively few rugs find an ac- tual market in London. More me rugs are taken by Germans. who, by tue Way, manufacture the tufted rug, which, when well made, Is a beautiful and serVlceaole floor covering.
 America the Largest Market
 The United States has become the larS- est rug market of the world. Thls 1act should make Arnerieans earnest stuoeiits of rugs in order that they may be prepar- ed to detect frauds and to get the worth of the money invested in beautifying and making comfortable their homes, so Tar as rugs contribute to that result.
 The dying of wools used in the manu- facture of Oriental rugs Is matter oI the first importance. The dyes used are purely vegetable. It should not be TOT gotten that there are many classes or vegetable dyes, some of which lose lheis artistic effect unless made honestly anu with scientific knowledge. It Is gratifying to know that the preparation ot Vegetapie dyes has received marked advance un- der the knowledge of chemistry of an eX- pert whose entire interests in the manu- facture of rugs lies in the direction or the United States and all of whose products go to that country.
 Each factory dyes Its own yarns, ana the yarns used in one rug are all oyeo in the same solution. so as to nave apso- lute uniformity in the colors The only exception to the statement that Veseta- ble dyes are used exclusively is that coch- ineal Is extensively employed in the pro duction of all reds, crimsons, and pinks'
 No other dyestuff can be made to take the place of cochineal, which not only gives the soft and beautiful reds ana shades of red in Oriental creations, put is absolutely fast
 The cheap rugs are not treated Witn cochineal dyes for the reason that they are too expensive; and 1t may be sald that many of the so-called high-grade Oriental rugs are not treated with the best dyes It is essential. therefore that the buyer of an Oriental rug should purcnase 1t from a maker of well-known probity.
 The loom consists of two upright posts set to 8 feet in the ground. to feet high, or inches thick, and Z to lf inches wide. Set in these posts beams, round or octagonal, revolve on iron piv- ots, or on the reduced and rounded end of the beam. The beams are of various diameters, from 10 to IA inches. The ends of the two beams are strengthened by iron bands one-sixteenth of an inch thick. Through the iron bands are pierced holes about 2 inches in diameter to receive an iron bar in winding on the warp and Tn keeping it taut. To the bars are attached above and below. chains, which are brought toward each other by double screw, the ends of which are held in cross-bar at the open end of the swivel, which has reverse threads to take the screw By small iron bar this is loosen- ed or frightened as the work requires.
 Warp Distributed.
 The warp is first switched on iron bars that are inserted in hooks in the beam either outside or sunken in grooves. When the warp is properly distributed with ref erence to the number of knots to the square inch, it is firmly and uniformly frightened. At the ends of the warp Is a. round cord of the same material as the warp, but six or eight times as large as the warp threads This becomes the firm and strong edge of the rug. A sin- gle spool lies near this edge cord, and as the weaving progresses the yarn on this spool Is passed round the cord evenly and smoothly, so as to make pretty finish and to impart firmness and strength to the rug. Between each thread of the warp passes what is called the "gulu." These cords are five times the size of the warp. and held in position by bamboo poles the width of the rug
 These poles are frightened or slackened by strong cords fastened to the ends of short bamboo sticks two feet long, which pass over a strong pole the full width of the rug and are supported by rude brack- cts bolted to the uprights. By pulling the short tbamboos up or down the pressure on the front or back warp threads is regulated. This pressure is changed at certain lines marked on the warp and according to the pattern of the rug In front of the lower beam in which the warp is wound, and on the lower one of which the rug is wound as the work progresses, is a plank by IA inches, which Is generally covered with burlap. On this plank the weavers kneel or squat while at work.
 Over this plank and about fourten inches below the upper beam is suspended a bamboo pole an inch in diameter and the full width of the rug. To this are suspended spools on which the yarn used in the rug is wound, the ends of yarn hanging down within convenient reach Of the weavers. These spools are arranged with reference to the colors in the rug. In most rugs about fifteen or sixteen col ors are used. These may be, however, re- peated often enough to make if necessary to nave Tn IldkluS ldTBe-slzeu rug dS many as f1fty-six spools.
 Weavers at Their Work.
 The weavers take their positions, one to each two feet on the plank described, with the head weaver either at the end or center of the rug. Before him he tucks in the warp the "talim'' or weav- ing books, which contain characters or symbols Ca kind of shorthand) indicating the colors to be used and the number of knots to be tied to the square inch. Tho head weaver pronounces in a slng-song tone of voice these symbols, which are repeated by all the weavers at the loom who are engaged in making the same thing Thus the work goes on to a kind of rhythm and with a rapidity and pre- cision that is remarkable.
 The knot is tied by passing the end of the yarn through the front warp back around the rear warp, and then bringing 1t forward deftly, when it Is cut off with knife which turns back like a small sickle or crescent the edge being on the back of the crescent and very sharp, The knife is held in the right hand and Is operated by the third and fourth fingers. This leaves tine first and second fingers free to pass the yarn through and tie the knot The first and second fingers of both