incipal of the Tanay Central School. The
stripped lengths, after being wilted and drawn over the sharp edged
piece of bamboo, are made up into fist bundles, tied at the middle
and placed in a large copper pot 61 cm. in diameter and 84 cm. in
depth and containing about 25 bundles. The pot is filled with water
and the sabutan is boiled for 24 hours, care being taken that the
straw is always covered. After boiling, the bundles are removed and
untied and the strips are hung in the shade or in the house to cool;
afterwards they are placed in the river for a day and are then washed
carefully and dried thoroughly in the sun. The gray straw thus obtained
is stored in bundles, still attached to the uncut bases, and is left
in the air for three or four nights before it is woven into mats.

Dyeing sabutan.--Mr. Simpoco has also made a careful study of the
methods used in Tanay in dyeing sabutan straw, and the results of
his efforts are presented here.

Red orange: For the production of red orange straw the gray material,
prepared as outlined above, is first treated by steeping in water
containing kolis leaves and twigs. The leaves and chopped twigs are
pounded in a mortar and are placed together with the sabutan in a
large receptacle capable of containing from 25 to 30 bundles, filled
with water. The material is allowed to remain in the receptacle for
four days. Early in the morning of the fifth day the straw is removed
and hung in a shaded place until dry and is made up into bundles tied
tightly at the larger end.

The dye fluid is carefully prepared. Chips of sappan are boiled
in a large copper pot for one day. A quantity of turmeric roots
and annatto seeds are pounded separately in mortars until they are
reduced to a very fine state. These are then separately treated with
water and pressed, the result being a turmeric water and an annatto
water. These two are mixed and poured into the boiling sappan. After
about 25 minutes the bundles of sabutan are placed in the pot and the
whole is allowed to boil until every part of the fiber is uniformly
colored. After having been boiled sufficiently, the bundles are removed
and placed in a large basket, later to be dried in the shade. They are
left in the night air for three or four nights and are then rolled up
in coarse mats. The shades procured vary with the proportions of the
dye materials used. Some are a decided orange, others are light yellow.

Yellow: Yellow straw is produced i