ZOOLOGY. 347 



WOOL FELTING. 



It is in the fulling, or felting of woolen fabrics that that peculiar 

 body and consistency is produced, for which the best cloths are so 

 highly esteemed. In this process the necessity for well assorted wool 

 becomes peculiarly apparent. Unless the wool possesses naturally a 

 felting quality, no beating will ever cause it to become so united as to 

 form one solid body. Microscopic discoveries have been made within 

 the last few } r ears, which have led to a revelation of much of the mys- 

 tery of felting. Examined through a powerful microscope, the short 

 fiber exhibits the appearance of a continuous vegetable growth, from 

 which there are sprouting, and all tending in one direction from the 

 root to the other extremities, numerous leaves like calices or cups, 

 each terminating in a short point. It is easy to perceive how easily 

 one of these fibers will move in the direction from root to point, while 

 its retraction must be difficult, being obstructed by the tendency of 

 the little branches. In a fiber of merino wool, the number of these 

 serrations or projections amounted to 2,400 in the space of one inch. 

 In a fiber of Saxon wool of acknowledged superior felting quality, 

 there were 2,720 serrations. South Downs' wool, being inferior to 

 these two for felting power, only contained 2,080 serrations in one 

 inch of fiber, while Leicester wool contained no more than 1,860 in 

 one inch, and Leicester wool is known to be but little adapted for felt- 

 ing purposes. 



Attempts have long been made to make felting supersede spinning 

 and weaving. It has succeeded in reference to the manufacture of 

 hats, in which rabbit's down is also a material of large consumption. 

 It has also succeeded with regard to beavers and other heavy goods, 

 but its application to superfine cloth remains, at present, an object of 

 interesting experiment, the success of which is doubtful. The great- 

 est objection is the want of that elasticity which is so important an 

 element in all cloths used for close-fitting garments. But there are 

 many purposes to which fine felt may be applied, such as shawls, 

 cloaks, loose overcoats, and all garments on which their is no particu- 

 lar stretch. The greatest perfection yet attained in the felting art, is 

 due to the exertions of the Union Manufacturing Company, Xorwalk, 

 Conn. The process of manufacturing felts adopted by this Company, 

 is different from that of any other manufacturers. A number of the fine 

 webs of wool from the carding engine are drawn over a smooth metal- 

 lic bed, covering a surface proportionate to the width of the piece. 

 The first layer is succeeded by a cross layer of a similar character ; 

 this is succeeded by another lengthwise, and then another across, re- 

 peating the operation till the requisite thickness is attained. As many 

 as thirty layers are sometimes employed in the manufacture of one 

 thickness of felt. These layers are next subject to the action of a 

 large metallic beater, weighing two tons. This beating is continued 

 until the wool is all consolidated into one compact mass of felt. In 

 some of the goods the wool is dyed first, and the webs being alternate- 



