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Show time and patience. The nori of Japan and Korea are prepared by grmdm the roots or barks to a pulp, after first removing the outer s in o oug covering. The ground pulp is placed in a sack made of finely-woven clod and the sack and its contents immersed in a tank of pure mountain water After the pulpy material has soaked a few minutes the sack is pres sed an the thick glutinous liquid, or size, extracted through the meshes of the cloth The pressure is continued until the ground barks or roots have given offal of the glue that they contain; then the bag is again filled with fresh groun gelatinous material and the dipping and squeezing process repeated. Thi work is usually performed by a woman whose duty it is to extract the nor for use in all of the vats ofa mill. In warm weather there is a certain ris of the glue becoming rancid, so it is necessary o have a constant suppl Of freshly macerated roots and barks. As previously stated, the use of th Vegetable glue is of Oriental origin, giving to papers of the Orient certai characteristics not found in those of the Occident Colouring Malcrm In modern times the Japanese make use chiefly of synthetic colours fo S\"umng their papers, but previous to the advent uf Chcap and inferior dye the Occident, the barks, roots, leaves, and berries of various plant were uscd for this purpose. Inasmuch as vegetable dyes are still employe in several remote parts of Japan in colouring paper, it will be useful to lis the sources of the most important shades as I have been able to assembl them. A pleasing grey, or slate colour, is made from the pl:ml calle nemurasalki, known botanically as Lithospermur offcinale,whilea light brown Or tan, is rendered from the berries of the yashiabushi (Alrm: Jasha). delicate pink is made from the fernlike su-ho (Caesalpinia sappan, L), an Various shades of yellow are extracted from the &i-hada Ph:llndm,lm @murensz, Rupr.). Different shades of a beautiful blue can be made fro the plant known in Japan as the i, and known botanically as Polygoru Digital image © 2004 Marriott Library, University of Utah. Al rights reserved |