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Show LOUISIANA MOSS. - The Louisiana moss business, which has undergone a period of depression, is said to be reviving. The moss is gathered mostly by negroes, and after a tree is stripped it is allowed to rest for seven years, during which time the moss renews itself. Cypress moss is preferred, as it is the longest and most tenacious of all the varieties. After the moss is gathered, it is placed in a sunny spot and left to the action of the wind and weather for a month. At the end of that time the grayish bark peals off, leaving the bark? hair? almost clean. It is then sold to the plantation storekeeper or country groceryman, who pays from one to two cents a pound for it, according to quality. The next move is to send the material to New Orleans to manufacture. After the moss reaches the factory it is subjected to the action of the washer, which is a large cylindrical arrangement with a wheel inside, which pulls the moss hither and thither and lashes it through a vat of boiling water and soap, until the stuff is cleaned. Then it is hung out upon the rocks to dry. This done, it is put into the duster, a fan mill which entirely removes all the dust that may have survived the washing process. As a result, the moss comes into the factory yellow in color, and goes out inky black. The article is then made up into bales and marked according to quality. The highest grade can hardly be distinguished from the finest horse-hair. |