The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1821-1823, 1822-04-17
EFron. Ae Prouidsnee Jo.rnal.I

Daggett, of this port, arrived from Leg
horn, four bushels Of the wheat, from
the straw of which are manufactured
the hats for which this country pays so
many hundred thousand dollars year.
'f'his wheat was very kindly furnished
by Thomas Appleton, Esq. American
Consul at Leghern, with some account
of the manner OF cultivation and manu-
facture. The following is an extract of
Mr.. Appleton's letter on the subject
We sincerely hope, that this seed will
be generally disseminated for cultivation;
aud that its product will be found in ev-
cry respect equal to the Leghorn straw.
The fair daughters of New-England
have already evinced their ingenuity in
the fabrication of elegant hats and bon
nets from Rye Straw; and, we deubt
not, will now furnish the shops with the
more durable ones of wheat straw, for
tineness and workmanship every way
equal to those of the Tuscan make.
@The grain, which produces the
straw worked into hats in Tuscany, is
here called Marzola," or March
grain. 1t is sown IN March, and arrives
at its appropriate maturity, for the man.
uFacturing of hats, from the Goth to the
30th of June. 1t is sown in somewhat
dry and elevated grounds which should
be broken three, four, or more days
successfully, to prepare it for planting
the seed, when four times as much
seed as is usually planted of wheat in
tended for bread, should be planted on
the same space of ground; for the
thicker it is planted, the finer will be
the straw. 1t is here gathered when
the plant is in blossom, which, as have
before said, is, in Tuscany, towards the
end of June When it has risen. TO this
state of BatnTity, it is about eighteen
inches high: it is then pulled up by the
roots, and left two or three days on dry
ground to air; after which each straw is
taken up separately and stripped of
thin pellicle which covers it, beginning
at the top and SO down to the first joint,
above the surface of the ground the
first joint and root are broken off and
are of no value. After this operation
is performed on each straw, they are
ted into small bundles of about four
inches diameter; and Immediately after,
in order to bleach them, the bundles
which are slightly bound with straw
are opened at both ends in the form of
/ a, fan, laid on a. field of grass to take
the nightly dew, and thus left for two
months, carefully observing to put them
under cover whenever there is. an APP
pearanee of rain, as the latter is preju-
dicial- When bleached, they are open
ed and separated into three qualities,
which form the superfne, fine and or
binary. The first is not only formed
from the finest straws, but should be of
/ the same size and colour, and without
/, spots or stains from these last are
fabricated hats even to No. no, which
signifies one hundred and ten circles on
the brim,. which are easily counted
Fhe straw when prepared is carefully
preserved in dry chambers, when it is
good for two and even three years. use.
The working the. straw hats commences
in September. The grounds in. Tusca-
ny, in which is produced this straw,
are from ten to twenty miles from Flor
ence, and lie in latitude 43, 49, The
thermometer Of Fahrenheit rarely ris-
es above 83, and there are not ten days
OF winter when it descends to freezing
point, or 80. ! have not observed, in
twenty-three years of my residence
here, more than three or four times the
thermometer at five degrees below CON
! gelation--and this extreme. at most,
for single day. From November to
the end of February, the thermometer,
with the exception have mentioned,
marks from forty to sixty.
10 the last six years, / have not seen
any snow on the level country, except
about one inch for two or three DAYS
the last winter-while there is no ex-
ample of the freezing Of grounds.
Having been absent from my native
country for FIVE and thirty years, shall
/ not hazard an opinion if the climate of
Massachusetts is coDgeniaI to the growth
OF this plant but as am informed it
succeeds in the plains of Lombardy, and
near to the Alps, do not despair of a
proportionate success in your State. In
the Villages where the straw hats are
fabricated, It is the employment of all
the inhabitants, from the oldest men
and women, down 10 children Of three
! or four wears II il likawieo fha;rs =