re. They are
from 2 to 2.5 cm. in diameter and each contains an extremely hard
seed 1.5 cm. in diameter.

Preparation.

Buri straw is prepared from the young, unopened leaf of the buri
palm. The coarsest straw is made by separating the leaflets from
the midribs and drying them in the sun. A higher grade straw results
from boiling them in water. Such straws are suitable only for bayon
manufacture and for weaving into coarse mats for baling purposes.

Several methods of bleaching buri straw obtain in various
localities. Any exact description of the processes is somewhat
difficult, since the persons who produce the straw have no very
definite idea of the proportions and quantities of various materials
which they use, and often do not care to divulge what they consider
trade secrets. In several cases, nevertheless, supervising teachers
have succeeded in obtaining fairly exact data on the preparation of
buri straw.

However, the same method carried out in different towns seems to
result in different qualities of straw. These differences probably
result from slight variations in the method of preparation. It has
also been found that the age of the leaf, as determined by the length
of the stem (petiole), influences the color of the straw produced. In
some districts the unopened leaf is not taken if the stem is over
two inches in length. In other places, leaves with stems about one
foot high are considered ready to cut. It is probable, too, that the
composition of the water in which the straw is boiled influences its
color. Mauban, in Tayabas province, has the reputation of producing
the whitest buri straw. Mr. John H. Finnigan, supervising teacher,
attempted to introduce buri straw into the schools of Gumaca,
Tayabas, where the buri palm is very plentiful. The work was in
charge of expert weavers from Mauban, but only a poor quality of
straw was produced. It was claimed that the water in which the
segments were boiled, according to the process which is explained
later, did not whiten them. It is a fact that in Mauban the water
of the town fountain is used to produce the fine white straw. In the
several years of his experience, Mr. Finnigan found no place outside
of Mauban which produces straw equal in color to the Mauban straw,
but he has noted that the second best straw comes from San Fernando,
Gumaca, where there is an especially clear stream of water.

In fact, all reports would seem to indicate that clear, pure