Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1881-06-08
PANAMA HATS.

Now that the Summer season is OF
US, it may not be uninteresting to The
reader to learn something about th,
origin and manufacture of Panami
hats. This is given by DIR. Seeman
in an interesting article on the vegeta
tion of the Isthmus of Panama, in tn,
Journal Of Botany. An indigenous
production, he says, deserving of specia
notice, is the "Jipijapa" (CdriudoUicc
pdlmdta), palm like plant, OF whose
unexpanded leaves the iar.famed "Pan
anna hats" are plated. This species o.
Cdrludoricd is distinguished from al
Others by being terrestrial, never climb.
ing, and bearing fan.shaped leaves
The leaves are from six 20 fourteen
feet high, and their lamina about four
feet across. The spathe appears TO-
ward the end Of the dry season, in
February and March. In the Isthmus
the plant is called "Portorico," and
also "Jipijapa,' but the latter appella.
tion is the more common, and is diffus.
ed all along the coast as far as Peru
and Chill while in Ecuador whole
district derives its name from it. The
plant is commonin Panama and Daren,
especially in half shady places. The
JipUapa, or Panama hats, are princi.
pally manufactured in Veraquas and
Western Panama. Not all, however,
known in commerce by that name are
plated in the Ishmus; by far greater
proportion being madein Manta, Monte
Christi, and other parts of Ecuador.
The hats are worn almost in the whole
American continent and the West In.
dies, and would probably be equally
used in Europe did not their high price
varying from So to $3.50 prevent
their importation. They are distin.
guished from all Others by consisting
only of a single piece, and by their
lightness and fexibility. They may
be rolled up and put into the pocket
without injury. In the rainy season
they are pttoget black but by wash.
ing with soap and water, besmearing
them with lime juice, or any other
acid, and exposing them to the sun,
their whiteness is easily restored. So
little is known about these hats, that
it will not be out OF place to give an
account Of their manufacture. The
STRAW paja), previous to planting,
has to undergo several processes. The
leaves are gathered before they are
unfolded, all their ribs and coarser
veins removed, and the rest, without
being separated from the base of the
leaf, is reduced TO shreds. After hav.
ing been exposed to the sun for a day,
and tied into knot, the straw is i'm.
mersed into boiling water until il be-
comes white. 1t is then hung up in
shady place, and subsequently bleach.
ed for two or three days. The straw
is now ready for use and in this state
sent TO different places, especially to |
Peru, where the Indians manufacture
from it those beautiful cigar cases,
which sometimes bring as high as $50 |
each. The plating Of the hats is very
1t commences at the
crown and finishes at the brim. The
hats are made on a block, which is
placed upon the knees, and requires to
be constantly pressed with the breast.
According to their quality, more or
less time is occupied in their compile
tion-the coarser ones may bc finished
in two or three days, while the finest
may take as many months. The best
times for plating are the morning
hours and the rainy season, when the
air is moist. In the middle of the day
and in dry clear weather, the straw is
apt to break, and this, when the hat
Is finished, is betrayed by knots, and
much diminishes the value.