The general plan of stiffening a single piece hat (ladies’ hat) with gelatine is for the operator to place the crown of the hat correctly on the wooden block. The sponge having been dipped into the proper bath, the crown is evenly and thoroughly saturated with the gelatine. It is then “dry sponged” to clear the surface, and the operator carefully arranges the rows to synchronize with the edges of the block and with each other. Withdrawing the crown block, the hat is next put on the brim block, and the sponging and arranging operations are repeated, but in the case of a wide brim the “stiffening” used is from a stronger solution bath. Before the sewer hands over the hat to the “stiffener,” the hat has to be “strung,” i.e. a fine thread is so attached to it as to afford a convenient means of hanging the hat up to dry, and when the stiffener has finished his operation he suspends the hat on a wooden rod, which is placed near him in a convenient position. These rods are from 3 ft. to 4 ft. long, according to individual needs, and about 1 in. square: on the longer ones from four to six hats can be hung, and when full the rod is placed in a suitable rack with covering overhead, but in a position freely open to the air. The best results are obtained from natural air drying, whether by wind or by a mechanically arranged draught from a centrifugal fan, but in cases of time pressure, where goods are wanted quickly, recourse is made to a drying room, which warmed either by fire or by steam heated coils is able to ensure a dry heat, by which the moisture in the hats is soon evaporated and the gelatine allowed to set. This plan is only useful in extremity, for in the early stages while the moisture in the hats is at its greatest volume, the gelatine has a tendency to run towards the lowest hanging portions of the hat, with the result of uneven strengths; and further, when the moisture is driven off, the gelatine retained is rendered more or less brittle, losing entirely the much desired toughness and resiliency. Another point against drying by heat is that it requires a stronger, and therefore more costly, solution of gelatine to be used, in order to counteract the wastage caused by running and the weakness consequent on the dried up gelatine. The above methods are those in use for all straw, tagal or hemp, and for all chip plaits. It is also used for real horsehair crinoline, but the imitations of this article being of viscose, cellulose, or similar foundation fibres, require special mixtures of gelatine with some acid, such as acetic, to harden the fibre and prevent it shrinking or dissolving, and with some volatile fluid such as methylated spirit, to encourage the rapid evaporation of the stiffening and thus reduce to a minimum the deteriorating effects of a liquid of any kind on the artificial fibres. [Illustration: Fig. 16 STIFFENING STRAW HATS]