356 THE FLOKAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



Berthold Seemann, who did so much in familiarizing us with thfr 

 vegetation of South America. Dr. Seemann remarks : — " The leaves 

 are from six to fourteen feet high, and their lamina about four feet 

 across. In the Isthmus, the plant is called Portorico, and also 

 Jipijapa, but the latter appellation is most common, and is diffused 

 all along the coast as far as Peru and Chili ; while in Ecuador a whole 

 district derives its name from it. The Jipijapa, or Panama hats, are 

 principally manufactured in Veraguas and Western Panama. The 

 hats are worn almost in the whole American continent and the West 

 Indies, and would probably be equally used in Europe, did not their 

 high price, varying from two to one hundred and fifty dollars, prevent 

 their importation. They are distinguished from all others by con- 

 sisting only of a single piece, and by their lightness and flexibility. 

 They may be rolled up and put into the pocket without injury. In 

 the rainy season they are apt to get black, but by washing them 

 with soap and water, besmearing them with lime-juice or any other 

 acid, and exposing them to the sun, their whiteness is easily restored. 

 So little is known about these hats, that it may not be deemed out 

 of place to insert here a notice of their manufacture. The ' straw,' 

 previous to plaitinsr, has to go through several processes. The 

 leaves are gathered before they unfold, all their ribs and coarser 

 veins removed, and the rest, without being separated from the base 

 of the leaf, is reduced to shreds. After having been put in the sun 

 for a day, and tied into a knot, the straw is immersed in boiling 

 water until it becomes white. It is then hung up in a shady place, 

 and subsequently bleached for two or three days. The straw is now 

 ready for use, and in this state sent to different places, especially to 

 Peru, where the Indians manufacture from it those beautiful cigar 

 cases, which fetch sometimes more than six pounds a-piece. The 

 plaiting of the hats is very troublesome. It commences at the 

 crown, and finishes at the brim. They are made on a block, which 

 is placed upon the knees, and requires to be constantly pressed with 

 the breast. According to their quality, more or less time is occupied 

 in their completion ; the coarser ones may be finished in two or 

 three days, the finest take as many months. The best times for 

 plaiting are the morning hours and the rainy season, when the air is 

 moist ; in the middle of the day and in dry, clear weather, the straw 

 is apt to break, which, when the hat is finished, is betrayed by knots, 

 and much diminishes the value." 



It now remains to be said that the Pandanads require for their 

 successful cultivation a stove temperatn^e, and a compost consisting 

 of three parts each of turfy loam and peat, and one part of sharp 

 silver sand. The compost prepared for the variegated-leaved kinds 

 should contain a much larger proportion of sand, and about a fifth 

 part of small crocks should also be added. Moderately copious 

 supplies of water at the roots at all times, and, during the summer 

 season, a moderate amount of atmospheric humidity are conducive 

 to a healthy growth. They are readily increased by means of th& 

 side-shoots, usually produced in abundance at the base of the stem, 

 and these can be readily removed ; when detached put them singly 

 into small pots, and apply water sparingly until they are nicely 



I 



