one of the most important materials used in the production of most of their fabrics, and is one of indispensable necessity in some branches of the manufacture. It is believed that, to the present moment, the whole of the organzine used in France for the manufacture of their best fabrics, continues to be drawn from the other side of the Alps.

Raw silk, before it can be used in weaving, is made to take one of three forms, being converted into either singles, tram, or organzine.

The first, which is the most simple process, consists in merely twisting the raw silk, in order to give more firmness to its texture; and, in fact, during its progress towards the formation of the two other preparations, raw silk must pass through the intermediate state of singles.

Tram is formed by twisting together, not very closely, two or more threads of raw silk, and this description most commonly forms the weft or shoot of manufactured goods.

The formation of organzine, which is principally used in the warp, that is, to form the length of the goods, is a more elaborate performance, and requires a more detailed description than the two former, in giving which, it is hoped, that a correct idea may be also communicated of the preparation of tram and singles.

To do this, it is scarcely necessary to attempt the description of machinery on an extended scale, since the requisite explanations can be given with greater clearness, and with equal correctness, by means of the simplest mechanical arrangements. With this view, all notice of the recent improvements which have been adopted in the most considerable throwing mills will be suspended, until the simpler operations which preceded those improvements have been detailed. Not that there is, in reality, any complexity in even the most elaborate engines for throwing silk, but to any person not much accustomed to the examination, or conversant with the uses, of machinery, the mere exhibition of numerous cranks and shafts crowded into a narrow space, and giving motion to a multiplicity of wheels, has a tendency to confuse the mind, and to create an appearance of complexity and confusion, where, in truth, all, when well understood, proves to be beautifully distinct and simple.

In the descriptions that will be found in this volume, of the various processes used for the preparation of silken threads, and for their conversion into useful fabrics, as well as in all explanations of the various mechanical contrivances whereby these processes are effected or simplified, the use of all tech

nical terms is as much as possible avoided. Where these occur, as sometimes they must, in order to avoid prolixity or unnecessary repetitions, such explanations of their meaning and value will have been previously furnished, as, it is hoped, will preserve the general reader from imbibing those false conceptions and impressions, which never fail to bewilder the mind, and thus render it difficult to acquire any clear comprehension of the subject.

The operations which raw silk undergoes in its progress towards organzine may be divided into six distinct processes. 1st. Winding it from the skeins, upon what are called bobbins, in the winding machines.

2d. Sorting it, when so wound, into its different qualities. 31. Spinning or twisting each individual thread in the mill. 4th. Bringing together upon fresh bobbins, two or more threads already spun or twisted.

5th. Twisting these two or more threads together by means of the mill.

6th. Sorting the skeins of twist or organzine, according to their different degrees of fineness.

The first operation, that of winding the raw silk, used always to be performed by means of a winding machine, the construction of which may be easily understood, if reference is made to the diagram here given. The machines commonly used for winding are continued to a considerable length, so as to wind a great number of skeins at the same time, but to simplify this description only a part of the maFig. 8.

chine is drawn, the remaining parts being only reduplica tions of that which is given.

Each skein of raw silk must be extended upon a slight reel A A, which is called a swift. It is formed of four rods fixed through an axis, so as to form a sort of double wheel of eight spokes, which are so disposed that four of them make right angles with each other and stand opposite and parallel to the four spokes of the answering part of the wheel. These parallel spokes are then connected together by bands of string, thus forming a kind of lantern wheel; and the bands can be so placed as to vary the effective diameter of the wheel, in order to suit exactly the size of the skein to be fixed upon it. This provision is rendered necessary by the circumstance, that the raw silk of most countries is wound so as to be equal in circumference to a yard, according to the standard measure of the country; and as some difference exists in these standards, the reel which would suit the silk imported from one quarter would, without some such provision, be unsuited to that of any other country.

The swifts may be made to revolve freely upon wire pivots; but as it is needful to wind the silk from them, and to deliver it upon the bobbins, with an uniform degree of tension, simple means are employed for creating the necessary amount of friction, either by means of a spring or by hanging a looped wire upon the axis withinside the reel. To this loop a small leaden weight is attached. B B are what are called the bobbins; these are made of wood, and consist of a hollow axis, on each extremity of which is fixed a circular disc, the uses of which discs are to cause the revolution of the bobbin, in a manner which will be described, and to confine the silk upon the hollow axis. These bobbins can be easily placed in or withdrawn from the frame. D is called the layer. This is a light wooden rod, having wire eyes fixed in it, one opposite to each bobbin, through which eye the end of the thread upon the reel is passed when it is attached to the bobbin. This layer has a lateral motion communicated to it, by means of a crank fixed upon the cross spindle E, which crank is turned by two bevelled wheels fixed at the end of the horizontal spindle G. The whole is put in motion by the bevelled wheel on the upright shaft F, which is connected with another bevelled wheel on the spindle G. This, revolving, carries with it the wheels or discs H H; and the discs of the bobbins resting upon these are carried round by the friction caused by their own weight, and occasion, consequently, the delivery of the silk from the reels

upon the bobbins. The motion of the layer causes this delivery to be uniform over the axes of the bobbins. The constant attendance of children upon this winding machine is requisite, in order to join the ends of any threads which may be broken in winding, and when the skeins are exhausted, to place new ones upon the swifts. When the bobbins are filled, they are lifted out of the frame, and empty ones are placed in their stead, to which the skeins being attached, the operation is continued. During the time occupied in renewing the skeins upon the swifts, or of removing and replacing the bobbins, the process is still continued with the unexhausted swifts and unfilled bobbins, each being in that respect independent of every other.

The third operation, that of spinning or twisting the thread thus wound upon the bobbins, is performed with the throwing mill. The particular construction of this mill is frequently varied, but the principle of its action being always the same, it would be useless to describe more than one of its modifications. Mills of great power and considerable extent are generally used for this purpose in England, but on the continent it is by no means unusual for artisans to purchase raw silk, and to employ their wives and children in preparing it for weaving. The machines which are then used are necessarily small, and are turned by hand; from the form in which it is usual for them to arrange the spindles, the apparatus is called by them the oval. This throwsting mill is now chosen for description in conséquence of its simplicity.

The number of spindles which it contains is thirteen, and of these, to avoid confusion, only six are shown in the diagram; the remainder would be arranged behind those which are seen. Upon each of the spindles the hollow axis of a bobbin, before described, is placed, so that the bobbin has liberty to turn freely upon the spindle. Upon each spindle, just above the bobbin, a piece of hard wood is so fixed by a pin as to cause the wood to revolve with the spindle. To this wood is fixed a piece of wire called a flyer, b, bent in the form here given. At each extremity of the flyer an eye is formed; of these the lower eye stands opposite the middle of the bobbin, and the upper eye is exactly over the centre and a few inches above the top of the spindle. The thread from the bobbin is passed through both these eyes, and also through another wire-eye, fixed in an oval frame L, which has a traversing motion to and fro, communicated to it by means of a crank, or an eccentric pin, k. This is fixed in a cog-wheel, turned by a pinion upon the perpendicular axis E, the end of the rail being supported upon a roller, to cause its more easy and regular motion, so that the threads are guided with regularity to the reel K, in the same manner as by the layer to the bobbins in the winding machine before. described. Motion is communicated from the crank B to the spindles, by means of a wheel D, connected with a pinion on the upper end of the vertical axle E, which also, at its lower end, has a drum F to receive the endless strap or band a a. This encompasses the oval frame G, and gives motion to all the spindles, being so confined by the rollers d and a as to press with the requisite degree of force upon the spindles, and to give to all of them an uniform celerity.

It is now evident, that every revolution of the spindle and flyer must give a twist to the thread drawn from the bobbin. Whether the twist shall be hard or slack depends upon the comparative celerity of the spindles and bobbins, and this proportion is regulated by the relative sizes of the wheel h and the pinion i, whence the reel and bobbin receive their motion. For different manufacturing purposes silk must be thrown or twisted with different degrees of hardness; this is provided for by the power of changing the wheel and pinion h and i for others of different proportional diameters.

For the purpose of clearer elucidation, one of the spindles is shown without a bobbin, while the rest are all mounted, and supposed to be in action. The skeins upon the reel should be made to an uniform length, and this is attained by