STRAW-HAT MANUFACTURE

The mode of preparing the Tuscany or Italian straw, is by pulling the bearded wheat while the ear is in a soft milky state, the corn having been sown very close, and of consequence produced in a thin, short, and dwindled condition. The straw, with its ears and roots, is spread out thinly upon the ground in fine hot weather, for three or four days or more, in order to dry the sap; it is then tied up in bundles and stacked, for the purpose of enabling the heat of the mow to drive off any remaining moisture. It is important to keep the ends of the straw air-tight, in order to retain the pith, and prevent its gummy particles from pa ing off by evaporation. After the straw has been about a month in the mow, it is removed to a meadow and spread out, that the dew may act upon it, together with the sun and air, and promote the bleaching, it being nece ary frequently to turn the straw while this proce is going on. The first proce of bleaching being complete, the lower joint and root is pulled from the straw, leaving the upper part fit for use, which is then sorted according to qualities; and after being submitted to the action of steam, for the purpose of extracting its colour, and then to a fumigation of sulphur, to complete the bleaching, the straws are in a condition to be platted or woven into hats and bonnets, and are in that state imported into England in bundles, the dried ears of the wheat being still on the straw. Straw may be easily bleached by a solution of chloride of lime, and also by sulphuring. For the latter purpose, a cask open at both ends, with its seams papered, is to be set upright a few inches from the ground, having a hoop nailed to its inside, about six inches beneath the top, to support another hoop with a net stretched acro it, upon which the straw is to be laid in succe ive handfuls loosely cro ing each other. The cask having been covered with a tight overlapping lid, stuffed with lists of cloth, a brazier of burning charcoal is to be inserted within the bottom, and an iron dish containing pieces of brimstone is to be put upon the brazier. The brimstone soon takes fire, and fills the cask with sulphurous acid gas, whereby the straw gets bleached in the course of three or four hours. Care should be taken to prevent such a violent combustion of the sulphur as might cause black burned spots, for these cannot be afterwards removed. The straw, after being aired and softened by spreading it upon the gra for a night, is ready to be split, preparatory to dyeing. Blue is given by a boiling-hot solution of indigo in sulphuric acid, called Saxon blue , diluted to the desired shade; yellow, by decoction of turmeric; red, by boiling hanks of coarse scarlet wool in a bath of weak alum water, containing the straw; or directly, by cochineal, salt of tin, and tartar. Brazil wood and archil are also employed for dyeing straw. For the other colours, see their respective titles in this Dictionary.