The Ordway new era., 1911-12-08

| to produce drink that suits the taste
OF the public catered to. Dutch cocoa
is sold largely In England. English
meets with favor In the United States.
while American and French chocolates
sell all over the world. The ever-in.
creasing consumption OF chocoate.cov-
cred candles and its use as favoring
extract guarantees progressive mar
ket for the cacao bean. a market that
will be made more accessible to the
owners OF the large cacao estates that
cover Ecuador with the opening OF
the Panama canal.
The Panama Hat.
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" 1t
was manufactured in the province Of
Manabi. Ecuador. where 1t 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 country's 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 1t 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 toquilla straw,
ont 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 1t is also found in Co.
lombia and in the forests OF the upper
Amazon. The shrub is from six to
ten feet high and thrives best in hot
and humid regions. 1t is fan shaped
resembling the saw palmetto, the quaI.
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 production, color. length. thickness
and number OF threads to the strand
or skein 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 moistened
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 O,
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 20 from
village to village. picking up the out
put. which Is eventually exported tt
Europe and the United States. al
though there is always n steady de
mand for Punamas in all Latin Amer
lea. These hats have proved to bt
the ideal head covering for warn
weather or for use in tropical coun
tries They are comfortable. light. OF
fer protection from the suns rays, ART
impervious to water. and last indefi
nit ely. A good Panama may be cleaned
and cleaned again year after yea
without deterioration