8 



bark about six millimeters wide 8 with the sharp side of the Kaki- 

 gaina, a hook shaped instrument (No. 10, p. 10). He then repeats 

 the operation on the other side of the tree about 15 or 20 c.m. 

 higher. Thus alternating from side to side until he has cut as 

 high as he can reach, making from six to ten grooves on a side, 

 which extend about half way round the tree. He then goes to 

 other trees until about ten or fifteen trees have been cut after 

 which he returns to the first trees and collects the raw lac. This 

 is removed with the Natsu-bera, an iron spatula with a curved 

 point (No. II, p. 10), and scraped into the Go, a small wooden or 

 bamboo pail, which the workman carries in his left hand. After 

 about four days he returns to the first group of trees and cuts 

 grooves parallel to each of the first. These operations are re- 

 peated at intervals until the tree is literally covered with grooves. 

 The entire operation requires from 60 to 100 days. 



The juice usually fills, but does not flow out of the grooves. 

 In the spring the lac is thin, gradually becoming thicker as the 

 season advances. The best is collected in mid-summer. When 

 collected the juice is in the form of a thick grayish- white emul- 

 sion, which on exposure to air rapidly changes to brown and 

 finally to black. If left in an open can it rapidly forms a black 

 skin over the surface which prevents further oxidation. The 

 lac collected as above is the best quality, known as "Ki-Urushi" 

 and has a sp. gr. of 1.002 to 1.0379. When strongly magnified 

 it appears to be a brownish mass of globules, which consists of 

 two kinds, one kind small, dark brown and between these a less 

 number of large, light-colored globules, the former soluble in 

 alcohol and the latter in water. A second grade known -as 

 "Seshime-Urushi" is obtained at the close of the season by cut- 

 ting down some of the trees and cutting and binding the branches 

 into bundles about one metre long and these, with the trunk are 

 macerated in warm water when the sap comes to the surface and 

 is removed. Wagner 7 states that after maceration the branches 

 are placed in a screw press to remove the juice. This is thin and 

 dark and, after mixing with some drying oil, is used as an under 

 varnish. Each tree yields on an average from 27 to 54 Grammes 



8 Rein gives 2 m.m. wide, but Wagner gives 6 m.m. Doubtless the 

 latter is more nearly correct. v 



7 Dingler's Polytechnisches Jour. 218, p. 3611875. 



