Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 39.djvu/815

Rh deprive it of the smoky smell due to cocoa. When thus exposed for a few hours, the cloth is spread on grass or sand and the operation of toogihea begins—stamping it in certain places with the juice of hea, which constitutes a brilliant red varnish. This is done in straight lines, along the junctions of the printed edges, and serves to conceal irregularities. It is also done in other places in the form of round spots an inch and a quarter in diameter. Exposed to dew, and next day to the sun, it is packed for future use. When not printed or stained the cloth is called tapa.

Schweinfurth describes the urostigma of the Monbuttos, which is used much as the shirt tree of the Brazilians. He says that nearly every house has its trees, which need cultivation. He states that the removal of the bark does no harm to the tree, and that a new growth is ready in three years. He adds the interesting fact that this bark cloth is the common dress, and that skins are worn only when in fancy dance dress. The significance of this we shall see later.

Besides tanning, beating bark, and felting hair, the search for dress materials and study of their use have given rise to the art of weaving. This art begins in basketry and plaiting, Seldom at present do we find plaited dress articles. Wood, however, mentions some of interest. In the lower Murray region of Australia a circular mat (paringkoont) made of reed ropes coiled and bound together by fibers of chewed bulmol is worn. It is simply folded about the body and tied at the waist. In New Zealand the native wild flax supplies a wonderfully fine material for plaiting. It is fully utilized, and nowhere do we find more elegant mat garments. Wood describes several kinds.

A mat may be made of phormium leaf cut into strips an inch wide, each alternate one being dyed black. Each strip is divided into eight little strips or thongs plaited into a checker-work. Other styles of "mats" are made of phormium. The fibers of the