A Harvest Of Human Hair

Perhaps there is no staple article about which less is known by the avei age persou thaii human hair as au ar ticle of commerce. It will doubtless surprise many when it is stated that the dealers in human hair goods do not depend on chance clippings here and there, but that there is a regular hair harvest that can ahvays be relied upon. It is estimated that over 12,000,000 pounds of huinan hair are used annnally in the civilized world for adorning the heads of women. In New York city alone over four tons of this class of goods are imported ygarly. "Not a little of the hair used in this country, " said a New York dealer to the writer, "comes f rom the heads of American women, and it is fully as fine in shade and texture as the iniported article. We had a big harvest during the craze that the fair sex had not long ago for haviug their hair cut short. Many thousands of vromen who then had their locks sheared have since bitterly regretted it, as in many instances their hair has grown so slowly that they have been conipelled to wear a wig or a switch siuce the fashion changed. Af ter the majority of wornen reach the age of 30 the hair seems to partially lose its vigor, and if cut it will not grow long again. "Two-thirds of the ladies nowadays use false hair more or less. The decree of fashion, or the desire to conceal a defect or heighten a charm, is the reason of course. One woman, for instance, has a high forehead and wishes to reduce it in appearance. Another has worn off the front hair by continued frizzing and would like to couceal the fact. Both make use of a front or top piece, with a choice of many styles. "Ladies' wigs cost from $20 to $200; half wigs, top pieces and switches from $10 to $50, according to quality. "The largest supply of hair comea from Switzerland, Germany and the French provinces. There is a human hair market in Merlans, in the department of the lower Pyrenees, held every Friday. Hundreds of hair traders walk up and down the one Street of the village, their shears dangling from their belts, and inspect the braids which the peasant girls, standing on the steps of the houses, let down for inspection. If a bargain is struck, the hair is cut and the money paid on the spot, the price varyiug from 60 cents to $5 in our money "A woman's hair may grow to the length of 6 feet, and I know a lady who has been offered and refused $500 for her crown of glory, which is over 6 feet long. A single female hair will bear up a weight of four ounces without breaking, but the hair thus heavily weighted must be dark brown, for blond hair breaks under a strainof 2y2 ounces. There are some 2, 000 importers, manufacturers and dealers in human hair in the United States.