166 VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES. 



attention, was the great advantage that this manu- 

 facture possesses in not requiring the collecting 

 together of a number of people. " All may be per- 

 formed by a single pair of hands no power of 

 machinery is wanted no other capital than can be 

 commanded by any labourer's wife in the kingdom. 

 The boiling of a pot of water is the sole expense 

 necessary to furnish her and her children with work 

 for a part of the winter, and the only engines requi- 

 site are their fingers." 



Notwithstanding, however, all these well-meant 

 exertions of the several individuals, the same causes 

 long operated in retaining Leghorn hats among our 

 articles of commerce, and their importation con- 

 tinued in an increasing ratio, 230,000 having been 

 imported in 1825, and 384,000 in 1828. In the 

 following year the quantity was reduced more than 

 one-half, owing principally to a change of fashion ; 

 and in 1832 the number brought for use from abroad 

 was only 60,830. 



The straw selected for the purpose of making hats 

 and bonnets in this country is every year improving 

 in quality. In different specimens which were ex- 

 hibited in 1825, those prepared from spring wheat 

 were pronounced to be decidedly the best, and very 

 superior to any preceding specimens. But grasses 

 are still considered to be very useful materials. By 

 the careful cultivation of those which are more 

 peculiarly adapted to this purpose, a constantly 

 improving material is being produced, while greater 

 skill is displayed in the manner of its preparation. 

 Straw may now be obtained sufficiently slender to 

 produce a very fine plat without being split, which 

 gives to the English hats nearly the same durability 

 as the Italian. 



Hats are likewise fabricated of chips or thin slips 

 of wood. This manufacture preceded that of straw 



