Chinese Matting.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue III, 10 January 1891, Page 3

Chinese Matting.

The plant which furnishes the ' material for these mats grow in abundance on the muddy banks of the Canton river. Tin cutting extends from June to September, and after cutting and splitting they are exposed to the sun, which curls the culm into a cylindrical shape. They are then taken to th> factory and sorted into lengths, then placed in jars of water in which they soak for three days and are then again exposed to the sun. At the factory they are . afterwards dyed. The loom used for weaving is of very simple construction. The warps are made of j Chinese hemp two and a half yards in length ; the reeds are woven while damp and consequently pliable a peace of bamboo cleft at one end to hold the reed, which is pushed between the strings of the warp by an attendant at the loom, taking the place of shuttle. The matttng is woven in lengths ot two yards and then dried in the sun, and finally ' over a slow fire, To prevent shrinking it is stretched over a frame where all irregularities are smoothed down with the hand, the projecting end of the warp are trimmed down to a length of about three inches, and joined into one continuous length of forty yards, which forms an ordinary roll. The quantity of matting annually exported is from 100,000 to 120,000 rolls. The value of the trade is roughly estimated from 500,000 to 600,0()0 dollars annually.