pan conforming to the curves of the rolled brim, heated either by gas or steam on, or in, which the brim of the hat is arranged, and a wooden block placed over it. Affixed to the plate or pan are two uprights with a crossbeam, in the centre of which is a long quick acting screw with a small plate at the bottom. This descends on to the wooden block and creates sufficient pressure to put the brim of the hat in correct shape. It is found very useful in “touching up” the shape of a brim that may have been bent or damaged in the trimming, as to put the hat into either of the other machines would necessitate the taking away of all trimmings and linings. The mention of these articles brings our history to its next stage--that of the actual “Finishing,” as the trade calls all the operations done to the hat after blocking. FOOTNOTE: [2] About this there is some uncertainty; the writer, from personal recollection, believes it to be correct, but some modern Frenchmen claim the honour on behalf of M. Desireau, while others assign priority to M. Légat. CHAPTER XIII FINISHING. POLISHING. TRIMMING. LINING. The straw hat having now arrived at the stage where its actual manufacture ceases, has still further to undergo the process of embellishment necessary for its proper appearance on the counters of the merchant, or in the showroom of the milliner. A great many hats of the “Leghorn” variety leave the factories without any finish of trimming or lining, but after they leave the blocking room they have to undergo a process of polishing. This is done in one or two ways. The “dry” way is for the hat to be put through a severe brushing, done by rapidly revolving brushes carrying powdered sulphur, in an air shaft which takes away the residue of the powder. This gives to the Leghorn hat a velvety smoothness and incidentally imparts a richer colour, owing to the sulphur that finds its way into the crevices of the straw fibres; although the brushing is intended to leave the hat free from the powder, in actual working that is found to be nearly impossible. The other way is the “wet,” and in this case the hat is covered all over with a thin paste, of which sulphur is the principal ingredient. When dry the blocking process is gone through, and the hat subsequently receives a brushing similar to the “dry” method, but in this case the object of the brushing is to remove every available particle of the dried paste. The advantage of this method is great where the colour of the Leghorn is none too fine. The wet sulphur mixture has a bleaching effect on the straw, and naturally tends to penetrate better into the fibres and crevices than the powder alone. The result is that the tone of the hat is immeasurably beautified and with a longer lasting colour than is obtained by simply polishing with dry powder. When properly brushed and ticketed Leghorns are then completely ready for the market.