LACQUER WORK. 



3+5 



round cover like the bottom of the tub. Before they are closed 

 up, two sheets of strong, oiled bast paper are laid on the lac, 

 large enough to overhang the rim, between it and the cover. As 

 soon as the cover is fastened on, the paper is bound over the 

 edge of the tub from 4 to 6 cm., and straw rope is then wound 

 around tight from nine to twelve times. The sealing is thus so 

 perfect that during transportation, even if upset or laid in a hori- 

 zontal position, the tub is safe from leakage or overflow. 



I was told in Yonezawa that such a tub holds usually 8 J Kuwanme 

 (1 Kauwnme=iooo Me=3'37i kg.) or 2<^'Z\% kilogrammes. Ouin, 

 however, states in his above-mentioned work, that it contains about 

 four English gallons, or a round 18 kilogrammes, which seems to 

 me also more probable. From this it appears that the above- 

 named product of Ki-urushi in Yonazawa-ken, 2,165 kilogrammes, 

 could have been carried in 120 Taru. The quantity of Ki-urushi 

 yielded by the whole country varies apparently between 60,000 

 and 100,000 kin, corresponding to 35,556-59,259 kilogramms, or 

 from 1,975-3,292 Taru or tubs at 18 kilogrammes each. 



In 1875, twenty Momme or 75 grammes of Ki-urushi were bought 

 for 2 Shu (about sixpence) ; in 1882, however, only 875 Momme= 

 32*8 gramms. The price also was advanced to about fifteen 

 shillings the kilogramme, against seven shillings in 1875.1 



^ According to official statements, which however include very many un- 

 doubtedly erroneous data, the raw lac production of Japan for the years 

 1876-77-78, was 60,656 kin, 99,267 kin, and 66,639 kin, respectively, in value 

 37,742 yen, 49,800 yen, and 49,179 yen. In 1878, the yield was estimated in 

 Fu, and Ken, as follows : — 



Kioto-fu . 

 Aitchi-ken 

 Miye-ken . 

 Yamanashi-ken 

 Kanagawa-ken . 

 Gifu-ken . 

 Nagano-ken . 

 Gumba-ken 

 Tochigi-ken 

 Fukushima-ken 

 Miyagi-ken 

 Iwate-ken 



in all 65,735 kin. Apart from the fact that this sum does not agi 

 total amount given above, many of the single items have such a mark 

 ness, that it will not do to rely upon these statements. They make Kochi and 

 Yehime-ken, for instance, or the island of Shikoku, a very large lac-producer, 

 while the cultivation of the lac tree is hmited almost entirely to the eastern 

 part, the province of Awa and the bordering Sanuki. I did not see lac trees 

 anywhere in Tosa and lyo, nor hear of their culture anywhere in the districts I 

 did not visit. The provinces of Owari, Mino and Shinano (Aichi-Gifu and 

 Nagato-ken), appear here also as large producers, while I sought lac trees in 

 vain in all three, and as in Tokio, was referred at every inquiry to the north, 

 and particularly to Aidzu, which had long been celebrated for its wax, but as a 

 lac-producer was far behind the provinces of Echigo and Uzen. 



According to the reports of Quin, the yearly extract of raw lac in Japan is 



