t 4-s 3

SECT. IX.

The dying of hats black.

H E Instructions of Mr. Colbert direct hats to he

L first strongly galled, by boiling them a long timein a deco&ion of galls with a little logwood, that the dyemay penetrate the better into their substance; after

which a proper quantity of vitriol and decoction of log-

wood, with a little verdegris, are added, and the hats'continued in this mixture also for a considerable time.They are afterwards to be infused in a fresh liquor oflogwood, galls, vitriol, and verdegris; and where the hatsare of great price, or of a hair which difficultly takes thedye, the fame process is to be repeated a third time. Forobtaining a colour of the utmost perfection, the hair orwool is ordered to be dyed blue previously to its beingformed into hats. The present practice is more com-pendious , and affords, as we may daily fee, a very goodblack. The method of our hatters, as I have been in-formed, does not differ materially from that of theFrench, described in the encyclopedie, which is as follows.

An hundred pounds of logwood, twelve pounds of gum,and six pounds of galls, are boiled in a proper quantity ofwater, for some hours; after which, about six poundsof verdegris and ten of green vitriol are added, and theliquor kept just simmering, or of a heat a little belowboiling. Ten or twelve dozen of hats are immediately putin, each on its block, and kept down by cross-bars forabout an hour and a half: they are then taken out andaired, and the fame number of others put in their room.The two sets of hats are thus dipt and aired alternately,eight times each; the liquor being refreshed each time

with