he process continuing until the several
different grades are thus separated and nothing remains but a few short
thick straws which are kept for embroidering designs. Each bundle
is then trimmed by cutting off the roots and ragged tops and the
straw is ready for storing, dyeing, or flattening. If tikug remains
in a damp place it will mold and become worthless. It is easily kept
during the dry season, if frequently exposed to the sun. During the
rainy season it should be wrapped in a blanket or cloth.

Dyeing.

Very few uncolored straws are used in Samar mats. The dyed material
is more durable and does not mildew as readily as the uncolored
straws. Tikug dyes easily and this is probably one of the reasons why
the mats of Samar have so much color. The cost of the dye in a Basey
mat is no small part of the total expense of production. Consequently
it is necessary to employ a cheap dye. For instance, one of the best
commercial dyes known in Manila was used with great success on Samar
mats, but the value of the coloring material consumed in making
them was greater than their selling price. The dye used in making
the cheapest of Samar mats costs the weavers about 10 centavos while
the more elaborate products need as much as 65 centavos worth of dye
to color them. A common mat containing 15 centavos worth of dyestuff
sells for about a peso. [28]

The colors obtained by the Basey mat weavers have a greater variety
of shades and tints than those produced by any other workers in the
Philippines on tikug or any other mat material. The shades and tints
depend upon two considerations: (1) The amount of dyestuffs used and
(2) the length of time the boiling process is continued. Four dyestuffs
are used. Yellows are obtained from turmeric; greens and reds are
obtained from coal-tar dyes; and a red-orange from deora. The leaves
of the latter plant are crushed and the pulpy mass thus obtained is
boiled to yield the dye fluid. By combining these four dye materials
in different proportions, by using varying amounts of the material,
and by boiling varying lengths of time, different colors, shades and
tints are obtained.

The method of dyeing is as follows: The bunches of tikug are coiled
and placed in a can of hot dye, where they are boiled from two to
ten minutes, or until the desired intensity has been secured. The
more the straw is boiled, the more nearly permanent will be the
color and the greater will be its intensity. Care m