The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-01-12

glstens in the sun as If made of strands
of pearls. 1t is one of Hawaii's choicest
hats, for peacocks are not numerous on
the Islands and 1t takes no less than 40o
quilts to make two hats. 1t is also a
difficult task to split the quilts and aft
erWard trim the quilts evenly with a pair
of scissors.
The Quill is taken and shorn Of it's
fea TIERS 1t is then split and scraped on
the inside. Two qualities of quill braid
are derived by this process. The upper
portion or back of the quill Is the choic-
est braid of the two. for it has a pearly,
satin finish. The braid made from the
tain the same glossy finish, although 1t
makes a beautiful white hat. There is
one feature about these hats which ap-
peals to the wearer, and that is that it
never discolors. When soiled it Is cas-
ily cleansed by a cautious use of soap,
water and brush.
Sometimes both sides of the quill are
woven to make braid The effect is
not so beautiful. but it takes but 300
qUills to complete a hat by this method.
In former days when peacockS were more
numerous II cost but s1.5O for 100 quilts,
The most expensive feature In connection
with the hat is the weaving, for the
native has to trim both sides carefully
with scissors. They cannot be torn off
with needle. as are the strands of the
sugar cane and others. The work is alsc
very hard on the fingers. Twelve dollars
to fifteen dollars is usually the cost OF
a braid alone to make IN into such q
hat. The braids are made with pretty
pearl finish or a loop. The Hawaiians
call 1t the ii-lu. No ordinary hand can
shape such a hat.
THE PUMPKIN FIBER HAT
Such head covering is not made from
the pumpkin itself but from the vine
The native Matchmaker cuts away three
or four joints from the end of the vine
and casts them aside for they are toe
young for use Four more joints are
then made. A large quantity from diff.
ferent vines are SO cut. Each joint is
then cut and sliced separately. A smooth
clean beard, bucket of water and q
knife are the only materials used in the
cleansing process. The green meat Is
soraped from the stalk, leaving tough
white tissue with green veins This is
thrown into the bucket of water and lef
stsnd ng over night. Each day for foul
days the tissues are scraped until all thu
green veins and meaty substances are
gone. Fresh water is used each day
After being thoroughly cleaned IT has tbs
appearance of q piece Of white silker
galf7e. As each strand Is rinsed II /:
thrown on a sheet of clean paper. whert
II dries quickly. # it is not as white a,
III" weaver wishes it, few drops Of
, blue ink are dropped into basin OF
fresh water, making a Light hlue shade
The strands are placed in the basin
and left standing for a short period
| Each strand is then picked out and run
; through the fingers and then thrown cr
: a sheet Of white paper to dry. a needle
| is used to strip II into smaller and ver7
fine strands for weaving. The straw /.
very limp. though tough and weaving i.
necessarily quite slow. for il Is extremely
soft. When the braid IS completed it i
generally sewn on frame: that Is, +
intended for lady's hat; but if for s
= = .
Y ing the whole face instead of few
!, muscles--a discovery that viii doubt
less be followed by others as this art o
Analysing expression develops.
as&!S
l An interesting bit of our planet
: story is read in Moissans electric fur
mace. The metallic carbides produced
are like those of the sun and stars ant
it is thought that such compounds
largely decomposable by water-onc,
held the worlds carbon. When coolin:
formed water. the carbfdes were de
composed, forming hydrocarbons. oxi
dation gave carbonic acid, then vege
table, followed by animal, life becam,
: possible.
~ as.s
The perfumes Of flowers are best OBJ
tained by distillation but where higf
temperature changes the substance the
usual process is enfleurage, or absorp-
ton with fats. Separation by solvents
has required costly apparatus. But 9
new factory at Frejus, France, claims