224 On Hat Making.[April

time being left’on that part of the hurdle where the wool was firſt laid.‘This is rather a difficult operation, on account of the juſtnefßs required to ſpread the wool thick in the centre of each « bat.” A bat is near the quarter of the wool weighed out into one hat after Bowing, they are next joined by means of a baſon- ing-cloth(a piece of cloth that may coſt about 1s. per yard, of about 1 yard broad, and 17 yards long) upon a baſon, by being folded up and rolled with the hands backwards and forwards, and preſſed down at intervals to favour the excitation, they are now unfolded, and a ſmall piece of finer cloth, about 1s. 6d. per yard, and about 2 feet long, and 1 broad, called an inlayer, 18 iolded into a conical form by laying the two corners of one end towards the middle; this is then laid upon one of the bats, and the edges of that turned over upwards, ſo as to leave their thin- neſt parts, the edges where the thickeſt part of the other bat will bé placed; after which is done the rolling up again of the bats into the cloth with the inlayer between them, is again É- peated for about half an bour, and the firſt ſtage of felting 1s ef- feéted by this mean. T'he baſon is a round piece of caſt iron like a girdle.(that kind of girdle on which the people in Y ork- ſhire bake théir muffins) ſupported like that with bricks, and built about three feet: high, with a. ſmall fire underneath, upon © which, laying one of the bats ſpriókled over wich water,(the warm baſon being ſprinkled too) the bât folded into thé baſoning- cloth, the journeymehn, by preſſing: and flling, embody the wool into a ſlight piece of felt; the firſt-bat is how laid by, and the ſecond. proceeded with in the like manneſ, when both are joined by the introduction of the inlayer as;above; the baſoning being finiſhed, they are next boiled(the 12 dozén, or as many as the boiling kettle will conveniently hold} in one part of ſtale human urine, and two parts clean ſoft water; freguently to make a long thick nap, about three or four pounds of currier’s ſhavings áre thrown into that quantity. Oat ftraw is put to the bottom and top of the kettle, and they are alſo ſurrounded by it to ſave them from being torn in thg boiling, which is continued for about ſix hours, or until the. pan boils dry.[t would be well if a ſubſtitute for urine could be found; the beat’in boiling, opens the pores of the wool, and the-ſalts of that Vquid get incloſed or impriſoned in them, and make the wool hats nuch harſher than they other- wiſe would be. I have ſometimes avoided this, when I could get my men to take the trouble, by‘blacking and bóiling the hats in clear ſoft water before dying, which clean them of a great deal of - the dirt contra&ed in the firſt proceſs, and, when finiſhed, the difference was very great. This boiling in urine and’water,“cloſes the body,” that is, it is neceſſary to corre the opennels in the body, or that ſpongineſs which would otherwiſe be.perceived in wool hats. The hat new bowed, baſonéd,‘and boiled, is next carried tothe plank; this is compoſed of cither 4, 6, or 8 pieces