, 1884-07-15
WOMAN AND HOME.
"Rehning" Chinese and Japanese
Hair for the American Market.
WomRn's Bare-Facedness-UnhaPpy
wIvos-"when 4 Was n Bnby''
-Burdette's wIfe-Fashion
and society.

The importation of Chinese and japanese
hair to this country has been gradually In
creasing during the last few years, and as
the methods Of treating IL, in order TO pro-
duce limitations OF hair of finer texture arc
improved, the demand for it is becoming
greater. The fact is little suspected by those
who use false hair, and inquiry Mt any of the
retail hair stores will elicit only a positive
denial that any is sold in this city. A re-
porter, who made some inquiries ON the sub
ject from Mr.. De Spotte recently, learned
that not only does Chinese hair find Il market
here, when colored in different shades, but a
ready sale with good profit to the dealer.
From conversations with some persons inter
ested in the importation Of hair the followin.
facts were CLEANED:
All the Chinese hair that is brought to this
market is combingA The queue of the
Chinese is never cut. Very little hair il
taken from the women of China. The
Chinese BARRIERS walk about the streets look
ing for customers, or, as they might DO
called, victims. They carry a bar on one
shoulder. Pendant from tho rear end of the
bar hangs a pail of hot water and a chair or
stool. From the end in front Of them the
tools of their trade hang. When they meet
a Chinaman whose head needs shaving they
Immediately seize him, lead him into an
alleyway or in the entrance of a house and
vi nun " ~ ho"ns hb NlNLlul hlD~
mits and is quickly and numerically
lathered and shaved as speedily as possible.
The barber then combs out the queue
and carefully gathers all the combings.
These combings they sell to natives dealers.
By the latter they are hackled an drawn,
tied in packages of about one ounce each aud
firmly bound with hair. These packages arc
then placed iu boxes similar to tea boxes,
holding about sixty pounds each, and
shipped to this country, sometimes by way
OF England. There arc only three or four
houses in this country that buy Chinese hair.
The japanese bair that IL imported is prin-
cipally taken from women, as it is finer than
the mems hair. The Wholesale prices of
Chinese and Japanese hair range from so
cents TO sLs5 per pound in it's raw state.
Before it IL saleable at retail 1t has TO bo
thoroughly %cleansed, the roots placed all one
way, and mixed with other hair, but 1t is
never sold as Chinese or japanese hair.
The great bulk of this hair il called in the
trade "refinod hair.T 1t goes through a chem
ical process which discolors il and makes il
very lno in texture. It is then dyed in va
rious shades, and some rare drab shades are
produced. There are in the United States but
two firms that refine hair. One is IN Brook
Ign and one in this oity. There is now liti-
cation In progress in tho United States courts
between these firms concerning the right to
certain refining processes. One of these
firms turns out about 200 pounds OF refined
hair per week, which finds its way to dealers
all over the country. The principal chemical
used in refining and bleaching Chinese hair is
peroKyd Of hydrogen, which Is much stronger
than that used for bleaching the natural hair
on the head. Hair bleached perfectly white
Is now produced from ordinary German or
French hair, but all the efforts Of ~reiners to
produce whits hair from Chinese hair have
failed. This is accounted for on the ground
that the coloring matter in Chinese hair is
principally iron. which resists the action OF
the chemicals used. Tho short hair or refuse
from the Chinese hair, after being washed
and crimped, is made up into minstrel wigs.
TIT longer hair is frequently used for
switches for negroes. Thus the African Is
frequently wearing hair grown in China.
When refined Chinese hair is in good condi-
Ion for sale it is worth from 60 to $l4 Der
pound.