The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-10-16
PANAMA HATS ARE
 MADE AT NIGHT
Work Begins at F O'Clock and Ends at 7 a. m.-StraW Too
 Brittle When Sun is Up.

How many wearers of Panama hats know that they are made at night, and why? This is the case. accord- Ing to Consul General E. W. God1ngs who is stationed at Guayaquil. Ecuador. and the reason is that the sfvaw becomes too brittle to handle during thee day because of tho heat. ..zsiousands of motives of the interior Of Ecuador are engaged in weaving these hats, and the work is carried on by both sexes and all ages throughout the night from a little after midnight to A. M
 stThe first toqui1la straw hat writes Mr. Golding, lis said to have been made 285 years ago in the Province of Manavi. Ecuador by Francisco De1gado, an Ecuadorian-As at that time Panama was the great disTfbut- ing centre for articles produced on the west coast of South America many were credited to that citys hats WOW en from toqui11as straw in Rlana7i for that reason were called Panama hats 4 While this nisno1ner should be corrected to NEanaE1, the name by which it is commonly known has come into such general use that 1t is very doIshtf1ak if the ehange eEer will be made.
 Tn thepreparation Of the straw the veins are removed and the leaves are dipped repeatedly in a vessel filled with boiling water, and after being shaken well are exposed to the sun to be bleached- Exceptionally white straw is obtained by adding a certain pro portion of lemon juice to the boiling water. The straw is Athen carefully selected, its value depending upon the length, thickness. co1ors and number of strands. obtained frozf each leaf.
 'sThe coarser straw, unfit for the 4nanufacture Of hats, is utilized in xaalxdng small baskets, ornaments, bags and ot1aer articles. ToQuil1a. straw is so1d in many parts of the in ferior, where it IS woven into hats lit is also exported to foreign coun- tries where the hats are made by machinery.
 ssAfter the~straw has been prepared as indicated and dampeneds to make 1t pliabIe, 1t is very finely divided in to the required widths 1bys the nail Tsof the little finger nr thuT1b 4 bunch of straw Is bound in t4fe middle and placed on the center of Q wooden mold. fiae sraVs arranged radialy and equally distant from each other in pairs. The plating begins at the apex 8f the crown and contiues around and around until the hat IS finished, care being taken that no straws are added while the crown is being made 9th CTS are added however in forming the brtm and border. On the degree of nicaEy with which the straWB are 4engthened depends the beauty and be broken, 1t can be replaced and so plaited as not to be noticed The hn- ishing touches are put on by trimming the bTi1n, edging the border, and neatly fastening an projecting ends of 4he sHaws so as to be invisible. The hat fs washed in clean cold water, coated with a thin solution of gum, and polished with dry sulphur
 The necessary qualities of a fine hat are durability. strength, elasticity, imp bility. and the quality of be- ing easily washed when soiIed. The hats may be rolled up without injury and will last for many years, but a br olzen straw in the crown dninishes fhe value by one-ha1f. Three to six naorHhs, tn4syT4a1ch the maker works quired to complete the best hats; but children will make two of the cheap est grade hats from un6ressed straw in day. Qualifications such as pa Hence, good eyesfght. and the skill acquired by years of experience are necessary to produce the very best grade of hatz
 s-The finest hats ever made were the work of a native Ecuadorfan named Palma, and vzere purchased for $20o each and presehted to Emperor Napo- ason III. and Marshall MacMahon.
 During 1913 hats to the value of @1sa2E .S0S were exported prfncipalIy to The United Statess Germany, France and Belgium, and to a lesser extent to Enc Ad11es, Mexico, Central Am erica. End other countries of Latin America. Asheg ke pxspafsd for shtpm ent pack Ed in sbdl9s. Dogs 8Eh or<hfdes.
 Another kind of hat made from a epecdes of grass, and called .sornbrero bunccs istused here. and about s1, ,eoo worth annually exported They cannot be compared in any way with those made from toq11if1a straw
 Ekee toqui1Ia straw hats are sold at prices varying from 8 few cents to SLIGO and moro each The wholesale prices are $8sT6 to SIS per dozen, the best From $1& to $15 each. The cheapest grades from ManaW sell wholesale Rt $1-45 to $2450 per dozen. the finer grades bringing $450 to SEQ each, and khe finest $25 to $10o each, or even
 Exporters specfa1fze in the certain grades of hats, some selling the best grades only, others the cheapest, and yet others sell all grades A list of the exporters may be obtained from the Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Com merce. at Washington.
 The only objection to the Manavi or Panama hats Is that they are all of similar shape, no attempt being made to adapt the forms to modern tastes 1T the oeS1red snapeS were shown to the weavers they would very soon initiate them and produce hats agree ing with the latest fashions.
 The Mauavf hat requires special care for it's preservation. As water is very injurious to it, it should be well dried and pressed each time after hay Ing been exposed to rain for any con siderable time. While the suns rays are not harmful producing only some change in the color, the hat should occasionally be moistened to preserve It's hexibi1ity.
 Injuries should be repaired at once, as otherwise the hat will very soon become ya1ueIess. When not in use the hat should be rolled up care fully and -Nrapped in carr11al1ored ma