signing of the Treaty of Amiens, smaller hats came into vogue, such strengtheners made the hats look clumsy and distorted. The genius, whether Briton or foreigner, who discovered the use of glue or gelatine for the stiffening of straw hats, is unknown, although it is very probable he or she was French. (When the writer was apprenticed to a firm of hat makers in Paris in 1877, he was given to understand that the first gelatine process for hats was used in Paris. If the name of the inventor was given, he has entirely forgotten it, but to the best of his recollection no name was mentioned.) But other materials such as starch and isinglass had been tried, but none found entirely satisfactory until the use of glue was adopted. Gelatine is a fine variety of glue, and was developed first by the French glue makers; among the foremost of whom were Coignet Frères, of Lyons, founded in 1818. The manufacture of gelatine is now almost universal, but Messrs. Coignet still retain a very high credit for their wares. It is quite probable that either some glue used for joinery or gelatine bought for cookery purposes was first tried on straw hats by the inventor, and doubtless with such success that it was speedily taken up by all straw workers, and to-day no other medium is used for the stiffening of actual straws. That used for the purpose is specially made, and is in varying qualities of strength and colour. For white goods gelatine of the purest colour is necessary, while for black or dark colours, a gelatine of dark biscuit tint is generally used, as its price is materially less than that of the better colour. The main requirements in a gelatine are 1st, colour; 2nd, no tendency when being used to froth; 3rd, when dry an elastic and firm result. The second condition is probably the most necessary, as although gelatine is capable of being reduced with water to such a degree of fluidity, that it affords the best medium for penetrating the straw and giving it the required strength, if the quality is not good the mixture when used will froth like soapy water, and thus have a tendency to leave a snaily appearance on the hat.