HOG BRISTLES FROM CHINA.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume IV, Issue 176, 11 March 1902, Page 3

HOG BRISTLES FROM CHINA.

The trade in hog’s bristles is one of the numerous new sources of industry which have been created in China by tho opening of the coast harbours to foreign commerce. During tho last two decades this export has developed to such an extent that many persons are now engaged in the buying up, and preparation of the bristles tor export. .Formerly the bristles wore worthless in China. The manufacture of brushes is still in its infancy in that country, as they are hardly known and very seldom used. If one is used it is usually very small, and they are only used for cleaning the cloth shoes, as tho clothes are dusted with a whisk broom in China. Someiimes brushes arc used for cleaning horses, but these are also small, and resemble in shape and size those which are muni for applying blacking._ Therefore the bristles were not considered of any value in China. When the brush maker needed sonic begot them from tho butcher for nothing. ’lbis has now changed. Tho butchers now gather the bristles and sell them. Chinese bristles have now become an article much in demand in Europe, especially the long black ones known under the name of Tientsin bristles, which are widely different from tho white, short bristles coming trom tho South.