CONTENTS
| CHAP. | PAGE | |
| FOREWORD | [vii] | |
| I. | ORIGIN AND CLASSICAL HISTORY | [1] |
| II. | COMMERCIAL RISE AND GROWTH | [13] |
| III. | STRAW PLAIT—METHOD OF PREPARING THE STRAWS | [25] |
| IV. | STRAW HOODS—METHOD OF PREPARING AND OF WEAVING THE FIBRES | [35] |
| V. | STRAW PLAIT AND PLAITTING | [45] |
| VI. | DYEING | [52] |
| VII. | BLEACHING | [60] |
| VIII. | BLOCKMAKING | [66] |
| IX. | HAND AND MACHINE SEWING | [71] |
| X. | STIFFENING | [84] |
| XI. | BLOCKING BY HAND | [93] |
| XII. | BLOCKING BY MACHINE | [100] |
| XIII. | FINISHING. POLISHING. TRIMMING. LINING | [111] |
| INDEX | [125] |
ERMEN & ROBY’S
COTTON
IS LUTON’S FAVOURITE
BRAND
White and Black on 10,000 Yard Reels
All Colours on 5,000 Yard Reels
ILLUSTRATIONS
| PAGE | |
| FINISHING, LINING AND TRIMMING STRAW HATS | [Frontispiece] |
| THE PETASUS | [2] |
| THE STEPHANOS | [3] |
| THE ETRUSCAN HAT | [4] |
| HAT OF PENELOPE | [5] |
| A POMPEIAN BONNET | [5] |
| STRAW PLAITTERS AT WORK | [30] |
| PANAMA HOOD MAKING | [39] |
| BLEACHING AND DYEING OF PLAITS AND HOODS | [55] |
| A TIPPER | [69] |
| SECTION OF FOUR ROWS OF PLAIT | [72] |
| SEWING STRAW PLAIT INTO HATS BY MACHINE | [75] |
| SECTION OF ROLLERS | [82] |
| STIFFENING STRAW HATS | [89] |
| HAND BLOCKING | [97] |
| MACHINE BLOCKING | [103] |
| MACHINE BLOCKING (BROCHIER TYPE) | [109] |