Willmar tribune., 1909-07-07
a Ak1lER RARZzRIzxc. <0R. mrs

or skeAu. Inc pant resembles tQO
saw palmetto. and is fan-shaped.
Just before ripening, when tho
shrub attains q height Of about five
feet, it is cut, boiled in hot water,
and after being thoroughly dried and
assorted Is ready for use. In the
case Of the highly priced shrubs that
grow in the damp and gloomy depths
Of the tropical forests, a slightly dit.
ferent process Of gathering and cur
ing the fiber is observed, inasmuch az
the fan-shaped leaves are cut from
the trunk Of the shrub just as they
are in the act Of opening, are stripped
Of their outer filaments, immersed for
few seconds in . vat Of boiling wa
ter, then withdrawn for q moment
and again submerged for an instant,
taken out, vigorously shaken and
carefully suspended on a string to
dry In the shade, and q dhy later
bleached in the intense rayb of the
tropical sun. Greater whit0ness of
straw may be secured by originally
boiling the fiber in water containing q
certain proportion of lemon juice.
A central school of hat making has
been established at Panama, pro-
vided for by government funds.
Fourteen scholarships have been es-
tablfshed. two from each of the seven
provinces Of the republic. Pupils
must not be less than Is years of age,
OF good conduct and health, willing
and desirous of learning hat weaving.
have good eyesight, and contract an
obligation to teach the same industry
wherever designated by the govern.
ment. The school was opened June
Is, 1905, and general interest is taken
in the result of this new enterprise.
On the Pacific slope of Ecuador.
Panama hats are made in the prov
inces of Manabi and Guayas, the for.
mer producing the celebrated jipi-
japas of Montecristo and Santa Ana,
and the latter those of Santa Elena
and Manglaralto. In the inter-Andine
region Of the republic, the manufac-
ture is confined to the provinces of
Azuay, Canar, Pichincha and Lola. In
the f1rst-named province over 5000
persons are engaged in the hat indus
try. The celebrated Sigsig brand of
Panama hats are made in this prov
ince out of a fiber so durable that
hats made of it are said to stand with.
out injury the most violent crushings.
In the Amazon region of Ecuador.
Panama hats are manufactured at
Santa Rosa out of straw brought from
Napo. The province of Manabi, how.
ever, is the great toquilla straw-pro.
ducing region of the republic, most Of
the hats manufactured in Ecuador be-
ing made out of this straw, and large
quantities of it are exported to Piura.
Peru, Notwithstanding the heavy ex.
port tax to which it is subject. to be
used in making the celebrated Peru.
Wan catacaos hats. Antioquia is the
principal Panama hat manufacturing
center of Colombia.
The United States is the largest
purchaser of Panama hats, having i'm.
ported from Ecuador in 1906 jipi.
japas to the value of $600,901. Ger.
many. Great Britain and France. in
the order named, are next in impor-
tance in this traffic.
The straw exported from Ecuador
to Peru is shipped in bales weighing
about IS pounds each, pound of the
straw bringing from 20 to 80 cents, &C.
cording to grade. Germany also takes
a small quantity of straw. The manu-
facture OF Panama hat often re.
Qu1res the labor of a skilled weaver.
working five or six months in the late
twilight or early dawn, the only time
available for making the finer grades
of hats.