No. 105.] 149 



of making the usual number of turns around each thread as they pass 

 between the guides on the reel ; with this improvement, each thread is 

 taken from the basin, after passing through the first guides, and carried 

 over and around the two whirls, and when they pass each other on the 

 top, the turns are made, necessary to give firmness to the thread, then 

 passing directly through the guides of the traverse bar, to the arms of 

 the reel ^ making each thread in reeling, independent of the other. 

 This enables the reeler, when a remnant of cocoons are to be finished, 

 on leaving the work, to unite both threads into one, retaining the ne- 

 cessary size J whereas both would be too fine if continued on the reel 

 in the ordinary manner. 



Directions for Reeling. — In family establishments, a common 

 clay or iron furnace, and a tin pan should be procured : To the fur- 

 nace should be fitted a sheet iron top about twelve inches high, with 

 a door on one side and a small pipe on the other, to convey oiT the 

 smoke. This top should retain the same bevel or flare of the furnace, 

 so as to he about the size, at the top, as the tin pan. The pan should 

 be about twenty inches square, and six inches deep, divided into four 

 apartments, two of which should be one inch larger one way, than the 

 others; they should all communicate with each other at the bottom. 



In large filatures a small steam engine to propel the reels &c. and 

 heat the water for reeling would be necessary. 



Before the operation of reeling is commenced, the cocoons must be 

 stripped of their floss, and assorted into thi'ee separate parcels, accord- 

 ing to quality, or of different degrees of firmness. The double cocoons, 

 or those formed by two or more worms spinning together, the fibres of 

 which cross each other and render them difficult to reel. These should 

 be laid aside to be manufactured in a different manner. 



After the cocoons have been prepared as above directed, the opera- 

 tion of reeling may be commenced. The basin should be nearly filled 

 with the softest water, and kept to a proper heat, by burning charcoal, 

 or some other convenient method of keeping up a regular heat. The 

 precise temperature cannot be ascertained, until the reeling is com- 

 menced, owing to the different qualities of cocoons : Those of the best 

 quality will require a greater degree of heat than those of a more loose 

 and open texture ; hence the importance of assorting them. Cocoons 

 also require less heat, and reel much better when done before the 

 chrysalides are killed, ond the cocoons become dried. 



