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•which is called the White Mulberry, which I have had sent me out chap. ir.of Languedoc ; one of a broad leaf, found there and in Provence , whoseseed being procured from Paris, where they have it from Avignon , should'be thus treated in the seminary- .
3. In countries where they cultivate them'for the silk-worm and otheruses, they sow the perfectly mature berries of a tree, whose leaves have
papyrifera. Kasmp. Amoen. 471. Cultivated Mulberry , with leaves like the Dead Nettle, and
8 f whose bark Jiaper is made. The paper MULBERRT.
This sort grows naturally in China and Japan , where the inhabitants make paper of the bark.They cultivate the trees for that purpose on the hills and mountains, much after the samemanner that Osiers are cultivated here, cutting down the young shoots in December. Thesebeing divided into rods of three feet in length, or shorter, are gathered into bundlesto be boiled. 4f, by delaying the boiling, the shoots are dried, they must be previouslysoftened, in common water for twenty-four hours. The bundles are boiled very closelytogether, and placed erect in a large copper properly closed; the boiling being continueduntil the separation of the bark displays the naked wood. Then the stalks are loosed out ofthe bundles, and allowed to cool; after which, by a longitudinal incision, the bark is strippedoff. This, being the material of the paper, is dried, (the wood being rejected) and, whendried, is kept to undergo the farther preparation when convenient; which consists inpurification and selection. To be purified, the bark is put three or four hours in water;when, after being sufficiently softened, the cuticle, which is of a dark colour, together withthe greenish surface of the liber, or inner bark, is pared off; a knife being used for thatpurpose, which they call Kaadsj Kusfiggi; that is, the Razor of Kaadsj, or the Paper Mul-berry. At the same time, the stronger bark is separated from the more tender; the formerof which makes the whitest and best paper; the latter a dark, weak, and inferior kind.If any bark appear that is old, it is likewise set aside for a thicker kind, and of worsequality. By the same operation, they throw together into this last clafs the knotty parts ofthe bark, and those which have any fault or blemish. The bark thus purified, and dividedinto clafses, according to its quality, is boiled in any lye that is clear and strained ; care beirmtaken to stir the substance as soon as it begins to boil, with a strong, reed,, and to pour inof the lye gradually as much as is necefsary for stopping the evaporation, and restoring theliquor that is lost. The boiling is to be given over when the materials can be split, bya slight touch of the finger, into fibres and down. The lye employed in the procefs inquestion, is made of any kind of ashes, in this manner. Two pieces of wood are placed crofs-ways over a vefsel: Upon this crofs is laid straw, and over the straw wet ashes ; over whichis poured boiling water ; and this imbibing the salt of the ashes, is permitted to flow into thevefsel placed under it, and is termed Lye . To the boiling succeeds the washing, which is athing of some moment; as, if washed a shorter time than it ought, the paper will be strong,indeed, but rougher, and of an inferior quality ; if a longer time, it will be whiter, but of afat consistence, lax, and lefs fit for writing. Being sufficiently washed, the materials are putupon a thick, smooth, wooden-table, and stoutly beaten together by two or three slaves withbattons, made of a hard wood called Kus-no-ki, (the Camphire-tree) into a pulp, resemblingmacerated paper ; which, being put in water, separates like the grains of meal. Thus pre-pared, it is put into a narrow vat; an infusion of Rue, and a mucous water of the infusion of
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