20 



As a substitute for the mud bath, lime may be employed in the 

 dye mixture. A small amount should be added to the dyeing solution 

 after the coconut and sappan have been boiled together and the 

 material then placed in the solution and boiled. As a rule, this 

 method will give as satisfactory a color as the first. 



Mr. Claude Miller, supervising teacher of Balanga, 

 Bataan, in a communication to the General Office of the 

 Bureau of Education, describes an interesting process of 

 obtaining all-black nito, in which neither boiling nor dye of 

 any kind is necessary. As it also has been found successful, 

 it is here given : 



The results of experiments carried on in Balanga and other towns 

 of this district seem to show that nito of whatever shade of color* 

 can be colored a jet-black by burying it in wet mud from three 

 to six days. The stems should be fully grown, or nearly so, and 

 at least partly dried, as the young nito or that which is full of 

 sap does not color successfully. 



Most of the teachers and pupils prefer to split the nito previous 

 to burying it in the mud, because it splits easier and takes only 

 about half the time to color. 



The length of time the nito should be left in the mud varies with 

 the original color, the lighter-colored stems requiring a longer time 

 to become black. The mud in which the stems are buried should be 

 very wet. The best results are obtained by burying the stalks in 

 the bottom of ponds or streams or ditches. When taken from the 

 ground, after being buried for from three to six days, the nito has 

 a dull color, but it can be polished by rubbing it for a short time.* 



USES. 



Basketry. — In Samar nito splints with the colored epi- 

 dermis scraped off are used in the manufacture of various 

 articles of basketry, such as circular button boxes, collar 

 and tie boxes, and the like. Although the splints used in 

 these baskets may not all be of the same shade at first, in 

 the course of time they assume an even, permanent brown 

 color. In many provinces nito is successfully used in the 

 decoration of the handles and rims of baskets. 



* The following method for dyeing nito black has been used with 

 success by Mr. Manuel Bacosa, division industrial supervisor, 

 Palawan: "Into 5 liters of water put one glass of vinegar. Then 

 mash 3.4 liters of 'canarem' berries {Antidesma sp.) and mix with 

 the solution. Insert the prepared nito strips and boil for forty 

 minutes. Allow the nito to remain in the liquid for twelve hours 

 after boiling; then dry in the sun and polish with a dry cloth." 



