136 Journal of the Mitchell, Society {December 



ant factors in marketing cotton goods. The finish mixture is 

 prepared in a manner similar to the size mixture and is applied 

 to the cloth while hot. When the cloth is dry it is calendered 

 to bring out the finish. The use of a starch solution alone in 

 these operations would make the goods too stiff and produce a 

 harshness which is not desirable. To modify this effect many- 

 softening agents are used, such as tallow, oils, soaps, glycerine, 

 etc. As finishing is the final operation it is very important that 

 it should be properly carried out and the best effect obtained 

 from the starch. If it is desired to increase the weight of the 

 goods this can best be done in the finishing process. For this 

 purpose the finishing mixture is made very thick, or where this 

 would produce too much stiffness in the cloth thin boiling 

 starches may be used to give the weight without undue stiffness. 



The principal starches used in the textile industry are corn, 

 potato, cassava, sago, and to a small extent wheat and rice. 

 Wheat and rice starches are, however, more largely used as 

 laundry starches. 



The value of starch for cotton mill purposes depends on its 

 property of swelling and forming a viscous solution when 

 treated with hot water. It is well known in practice that the 

 different starches produce different effects in sizing and finish- 

 ing. One kind of starch will penetrate the goods better than 

 another. This variation is due to a difference in the thickness 

 of the solutions formed by the different starches when boiled 

 with water, that is, one starch forms a more viscous solution 

 than another. The thickness or viscosity of the solution formed 

 by starch is the most important point to be known in determin- 

 ing the value of a starch for textile purposes, for on this de- 

 pends the penetration of the starch solution into the yarn or 

 cloth, and hence the stiffness which will be given to the goods 

 when sized or finished. As the viscosity of the starch solution 

 is such a valuable indication of the value of the starch it is very 

 important to have a method for determining the viscosity which 

 will give results comparable to actual practice. The following 

 method has been devised for this purpose: 



Twelve grams of the starch are weighed into a 600 cc. beaker. 



