ABSTRACT
For stuffing, curled horse-hair is the best material to use, but it has one disadvantage in that it is rather expensive. Several substitutes are sold, the following being the most important: Cocoanut fibre 1 is a splendid material for getting firm edges: it should be of the clean, long-stapled variety, and not powdered. Algerian grass, 2 dyed black, has much the same appearance as horse-hair, but is harsh and brittle. New Orleans moss 3 and wild pineapple fibre 4 are also used as horse-hair substitutes. When horse-hair is burnt it leaves a black ash, whilst vegetable fibres burn to a light grey ash. 5
