Evening journal., 1922-10-03
PILEUP STRAWS
FOR '23 SEASON
Baltimore Factories Work
on 100000 to Be Worn
Next Summer
MATERIAL BOUGHT
IN FAR OFF CHINA

BALTIMORE. oct. s.-Does the
man who has Just discarded his
summer straw hat realize that the
one hs may wear next year is pos
sibly already made and reposing in
one Of the numerous warehouses OF
this city awaiting the warm days
OF the early summer OF 1887
Very few men do realize II or
think about IL. probably. but Il is
a fact. however for about the time
he began wearing his summer top
piece this year tho big factories in
this city were already turning out
straw hats for his next years
adoSnment, for Il requires about
II months OF the year for the manu-
facturers 10 turn out sufficient
number OF straw hats for a sale
season that lasts about elk weeks.
Baltimore Is noted as the greatest
PRODUCER OF mems straw hats OF
the better grades OF any spot in
this country and those hats ind
their way to far distant lands and
many chimes. They even wear Bal
timore straw hats in Alaska, though
the Esquimaux have not yet offlci-
ally adopted them. They also go to
about ievery nook and corner OF the
United States. as well as Porto Rico,
Hawaii, the Philippines, South and
Central America and Cuba, and 70
requires around 100000 hats to
supply this demand so the factories
Of Baltimore turn out these 100000
straw hats, and they range from the
ordinary straw hat 20 nangkohs.
Leghorns. Porto Ricos. Panamas.
Javas and what are called Balilukes.
When a manufacturer wants 70
make straw hats he doesn't send out
into the grain fields Of the United
States and gather up the straw and !
Just have It woven, for the straw |
that goes into the straw hats men I
wear does not come from the Uni /
ted States. but from China and ia
pan, mostly from China. However /
Il does come from wheat fields, 4
but some comes from barley and still !
some from buekwheat. II Is cut
before the grain ripens 50 that II
contains the sap and has life in II.
Any one who has seen wheat or
other straw has observed that each
stalk Is divided into sections with a
knuckle about every six or eight
inches. Those knuckles wouldn't
loos good in a mans straw hat. so
hey are cut out by the Chinese
hborers, leaving little sections OF
Araw from six TO eight inches long.
These little strips are carefully
IT.
draw Is then fattened and the Chi
lese workers take from four 20 16
f.thenn and weave them into a pat
ern. splicing the braid as they go
dong until they have one strand OF
% yards. 20 feet in length. This is
hen made into a bundle about IS
inches long and prepared for ship
nent 10 the United states. Some
Il these braids are made from as
iigh as 20 and % strands OF straws.
This work cannot be done success
ally by machinery, neither can It be
done in this country. as the cost OF
hbor would be too great. Some OF
The cheaper grades. however. are
1achine made and some OF the
straw split instead OF fattened.
An enormous amount OF money Is
ted up in the making OF the years
supply OF hats. This braided straw II
must be purchased in China early in
the year, for It must be on the ships
10 time TO reach Baltimore by June
ind II requires about four months to
set Il to America Work OF turn II
Ing II into straw hats begins at once, II
- that the samples will be ready for
he statesmen. who start about the II
fourth OF July 10 make their sales, II