Making the Paper called "Hanshi."-(Illustration No. 14.)

The bucket contains warm water in which to dip the hands when cold. The box or frame used in making "sugihara" (a large size of paper) is very heavy, so that men are employed in the manufacture of the latter; but women can manipulate the frames used for "hanshi."

The "sosori" to be used is made into a large ball, from which lumps are broken off as required. These lumps are cast into what is called the "boat," and thoroughly mixed with well-strained "tororo " tororo" paste. paste. It should be stirred up thoroughly, and is of a proper consistency when the stick makes a slight noise when passing through the pulp. If not sufficiently sticky, more "tororo" should be added, but the proportion of the ingredients can only be learned by practice.

The pulp should not cling to or wind round the stick, but should be thoroughly stirred and well mixed.

a. The inner frame.

b. The outer frame.

(Illustration No. 15.)

c. The false bottom, made of plaited bamboo.

d. The sieve.

e. The brush.

f. The stirring-stick: length, 1 foot 3 inches; diameter, about a of an inch.

(Illustration No. 16.)

The "boat:" length 6 feet; breadth 3 feet, with a perpendicular rest for leaning the frame against in it.

The false bottom is placed in the outer frame, into which a portion of the pulp is then poured. The inner frame is then fitted in to keep the false bottom steady, and a peculiar and dexterous jerk is given to the whole, which sets the paper. The frame is then leaned against the upright rest to allow the water to drain off, while another frame is prepared. By the time the second frame is ready the first may be removed. This manipulation can be performed very quickly by experts in the manufacture.

The winter manufacture, which is made with "tororo" only, is called “kidzuki:" it is used for making books, and it does not get worm-eaten; it is the best paper made. The spring manufacture, in which rice paste is used, is liable to become worm-eaten.

Drying the Paper.-(Illustration No. 17.)

The sheet of paper is removed from the frame with a piece of bamboo, as seen in the illustration, by dexterously curling the thicker end of the paper round it; the brush is taken in the right hand, and with it the paper is laid on the drying-board, as seen in the illustration, the side which adheres to the board being the face of the paper. Five sheets are placed on each side of the board, which is 6 feet long. In fine weather the paper dries quickly, and in wet weather it is sometimes dried by the heat of a fire. Each manipulator requires forty drying boards.

Cutting "Hanshi" into Proper Sizes.-(Illustration No. 18.)

Between every 20 sheets two or three straws are inserted. The paper, in parcels of 100 sheets, is then placed upon a table, and a heavy ruler put on the top of it, which is kept steady with the right foot. The paper is held in the left hand, and cut off with a knife, as in the illustration. It is then packed, as seen in Illustration No. 19, and is finally made up into bundles ready for the market.

Mode of making Paper Cloth warranted to wash ("Shifu ").—(Illustration No. 20.)

Take some of the paper called "hôshô," or some of the best "senka," and dye it of the colour required. Boil some of the roots called "kon-niaku-no-dama" with the skins on; try them with the inner portion of a rice stalk; when it penetrates easily they are sufficiently boiled. Peel them and let the water run off, and then pound them into a paste. Spread this paste on either side of the paper, and let it dry in the sun till quite stiff. Then sprinkle water on it until it is thoroughly damped, and leave it in that state for a night. The next morning roll it upon a bamboo of the thickness of

the shaft of an arrow, and force it with the hands from either end into a crumple in the centre; unroll it, and repeat this process two or three times, rolling it from each side and corner of the paper. Then crumple it well in the hands by rubbing it together until it becomes quite soft, and then sprinkle water on it again to damp it. Pull it out straight and smooth, fold it up, and pound it with a wooden mallet. It may then be put into water as much and as often as is liked without sustaining injury, having become a strong and lasting material. This cloth is made principally in the Daimiate of Sendai. Boxes, trays, and even saucepans, may be made of this cloth; and saucepans thus manufactured sustain no injury over a strong charcoal heat. Bags may be made of it, in which wine may be put, and heated by insertion in boiling water. Paper thus prepared may be used for papering windows; and will withstand the rain without being oiled. Amusing experiments may be made with it.

Manufacture of Oil-Paper for Rain-Coats, &c.

The paper should be "senka" or "tosa-senka." The glue used for joining the paper is made of young fern-shoots, ground and boiled into a paste ("warabi-no-ko-nori"), and thinned by admixture with the juice expressed from unripe persimmons. The dye is usually green, yellow, red, or black. Whichever colour is used, the colouring matter, generally a powder, is boiled with bean paste, and the paper is then painted with it. The preparation of the paper consists principally in softening it by rubbing it in the hands. The oil used is a seed-oil called "ye-no-abura."