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Show particles and remove any loose dirt that may be present. The fibre is nex tied in 2 woven cloth and the mass submerged in a running stream unti much of the encrusted dirt is softened and runs through the meshes of th c/mday, or sheetlike fabric. After this washing process the partially-cleanse fibre is put in a water lled carthenware or cement receptacle for three o o days, during which period a worker, usually a young boy, stamps th Placed under the human-driven stamper (dhenka) where it receives a beating before being mixed with sajji and chuna. The fibre, together with th Potash and lime, is again bcatcn under the stamper, and is finally removed t wooden platforms where it is formed into neat piles, for in this stage it mus remain for several months if it be the dry season; if it is the rainy time o year only about a month of this exposure is required. The rains greatl assist the action of the potash and lime and therefore the duration of softcmng isxeduced. Tn dry weather the heaps of pulp must be keptmoist, bu ¢ to simulate artificially the thoroughness of the continuou downpour of tropical rains. From time to time the workers examine th heaps of pulp and after the proper amount of moisture and exposure th material is again placed beneath the stamper and given a vigorous pounding; at last under the tedious beating the fibre becomes soft and downy Erom the pit of the stamping-mill the half-beaten fibre is next placed in th chadar, o woven cloth, and again thoroughly washed in a stream or pon until the water running through the meshes of the cloth becomes clear Again the fibrous hempen materialis placed in heaps upo k wooden or til platforms where it is allowed to dry The drying ccmplcwd the cleanse subjected to the stamper where it undefgw the final beating, insofar as th mechanical pounder is concerned. If the pulp s to be kept for even a shor Digital image© 2005 Marriott Library University of Utah, All rihts ressrved |