276 



and rabbits, exclufively, or mixed with beaver or filk, as the fluff which 

 forms the texture of the hat. It is a fpecies of induftry, which may 

 be carried on, by the manufafturer in his own habitation, at a dif- 

 tance from large cities. — The apparatus is not very complicated or 

 collly ; nor does it require any great weight of capital, to commence 

 this manufafture — it is a manufafture generally eftabliflieJ, and well 

 underftood in this country, though undoubtedly we are far inferior to 

 the Britijh workman. — With due encouragement, many improvements 

 might be made, and the manufafture might be extended, to fuch a 

 degree as to fuperfede the neceffity of importing hats from other countries. 



It may be faid, that beaver fur, which, cither in part, or in the whole, 

 furniflies the texture of fine hats, is a priimim imported from a far 

 diftant country, and of great price. Perhaps, a fuificient fubftitute for 

 beaver fur might be found. Silk has of late been fuccefifully employ- 

 ed in the fabrick of fine hats. Were the ufe of this material in hats 

 to become general ; great improvements, doubtlefs, might be made ; both 

 \a the manner of preparing the filk, and in afcertaining the jufl pro- 

 portion, in which it (hould be mixed with wool, or other materials, fo 

 as bed to anfwer the purpofes of beauty and durability. 



But, as all manufactures are rather fupported by the confumption of the 

 populace, than by that of the rich and refined, the principal ftrength and uti- 

 lity of this fabrick mud confift in the manufafture of the cheaper and coarfer 

 kind of hats, for the ufe of the multitude, in which every part of the 

 materials (if we except the dying ingredients) is domeftic. I am con- 

 vinced, very great improvements might be made, in that kind of hats, 

 called felts, which is compofed entirely of wool, by improvements in 

 ihe manner of preparing and drefling the fluff, of which the hat is 

 wrought, and by due attention to the breed of fheep, fo as to ap- 

 proach the finenefs of Spanijh wool} and by care in feleding and 

 forting the parcels of wool. 



BOOK 



* It feems to have been done in En^Iandi to evade the tax on hats. 



