Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1911-12-13

Will De maze more access..ie o. tux
owners of the large cacao estates that
cover Ecuador with the. opening OF
the Panama canal
The Panama hat is made in Panama
This statement would not have been
true several years ago, for although
this special style of straw hat was
universally designated Panama" it
was manufactured In the province OF
Manabi, Ecuador, where it passed un-
der the native name of 'jipijapa."
But president of the Panama repub-
lie, realizing the inconsistency of not
producing an article that paraded SO
extensively under his countrys name,
set about encouraging the cultivation
of Carludovica palmato, the shrub
which furnishes the toquilla straw for
the hats, imported weaving teachers
from Ecuador, established a school.
and so encouraged the infant indus
try" that today Panama has every
right to stand godfather to the jipi-
japa hat
1t Is mistake to suppose that the
high price of Panama hats is the re-
suit OF the cost of the special straw
from which they are made. In fact.
high import duties and commissions
account for the prohibitive prices of
the ordinarily good article when pur-
chased in the United States; but it is
true that rich planters along the
Equadorian coast and in Panama are
willing to pay $50 or 500 for the fin
est hats made, and these are seldom
seen in northern countries. A hat of
the very best quality is so plant and
flexible that it can be folded and car
ried in the pocket without the slight
est injury. One sent to the former
Prince of Wales could be folded into
a package no larger than a watch
The raw material, or toquilIa straw.
out of which the Panama hats are
made, and which supplies those quail
ties which make for compactness.
lightness, durability, elasticity. and
the waterproof properties of the fin.
ished article, grows chiefly in Ecua-
dor, although it is also found in Co
lombia and in the forests of the upper
ten feet high and thrives best in hot
and humid regions. 1t Is fan shaped
resembling the saw palmetto, the quail
ity of the straw varying much in diff
ferent localities, and in this variation
is based the difference in cost of the
woven Panama hat. The price OF the
raw material depends upon the place
of
and number of threads to the strand
or sA'in of the freshly gathered straw.
1t was formerly stated that Panama
hats were woven under water. which
is not strictly true, although the straw
must be kept thoroughly mofstened
while in the hands of the weaver. A
skilled manipulation of toquilla will
complete one hat in five or six months.
working always In the late twilight or
early dawn, the only time available
for making the best grades of Pana-
mas.
Most of the hats are bought up by
native travelling buyers who go from
village to village, picking up the out
put, which is eventually exported to
Europe and the United States, al
though there is always a steady de-
mand for Panamas in all Latin Amer
lea. These hats have proved to be
the ideal head covering for warm
weather or for use In tropical coun-
tries They are comfortable. light, Of
fer protection from the suns rays, are
impervious to water. and last indefi-
nitely. A good Panama may be cleaned
and cleaned again year after year
without deterioration.
Another unique industry of Ecuador
is the export of vegetable ivory. The
fruit of the tagua palm furnishes this
article of commerce, which has proved
to be an excellent substitute for the
elephant-tusk product, and has been
found useful in other ways. The tree
grows wild along the west coast OF
South America, from Panama through
Colombia, Ecuador and Peru
Natives gather the fruit of the tree,
taking those nuts found on the ground
which are matured.