116 FOURTH ANNUAL REPORT OF 



iilso from Mr. P. R. Uhler of Baltimore, that specimens have been woven 

 successfully in Paterson, N. J. This class of goods is known by the name 

 of Allayitine and might be put to a great many uses, as there is always a 

 demand for coarse silks. But it has so flir been woven 2)rincii)ally from 

 <;arded silk, and no cheap, efficient and simple method of reeling the cocoons 

 has been made public. The value of anj- silkworm dept/nds on our ability 

 to unwind its cocoon. The cocoon of the Ailanthus worm, like that of our 

 Cecropia, is open at one e«d, and though the thread is continuous, and if 

 disengaged of the glutinous matter which binds it, may be continuously 

 .reeled off; yet such reeling is rendered extremely difficult from the fact that 

 the moment the cocoons are placed in the basin they fill with water, sink to 

 the bottom, and cause the threads to continually break. 



Several devices for unwinding the cocoons have been patented in 

 Europe, but as already stated, none seem to have come into general use. 

 The method invented by M. Forgemol, and described in a report made in 

 1864 to the Imperial Society of Acclimatization, in France, will indicate in 

 what direction experiments may be made, and I copy the description of that 

 method from Dr. Wallace's essay. M. Forgemol says : 



B}^ way of experiment, seeking to follow in your steps, I mj^self, a 

 short time ago, exhibited before you a particular method of reeling open 

 ■€oeoons. This method has since been studied anew, and I have thought it 

 right to bring before you the following alterations. Let me remind you 

 that the cocoons conveniently prepared were placed within linen or some 

 other fabric permeable to' Avater; were then passed through man}^ waters in 

 succession containing soap and potash, in order to separate the different 

 layers of silk which compose the cocoon ; were placed, not too dr}^ nor yet 

 too moist, in a vessel of a cup-shape (either one or in compartments), and 

 were then reeled when nearlj^ dry — differing from the method of reeling 

 closed cocoons, which is done on the surface of water more or less boiling. 



Such was our first method. The following are the modifications result- 

 ing from our experience: — It seemed easier, and likely to save time, to have 

 a plate divided in several cups, which might be removed at will, and to place 

 therein the cocoons for reeling. This plate, of any form, should tit the basin 

 •of the ordinary winding machine, such as they use in the South of France. 

 Each cup is pierced with little holes in its centre, for the admission (if desir- 

 able) of steam from the hot water in the basin, in order to supply the 

 necessary amount of moisture which the cocoons may have lost. No change 

 is made in jireparing the cocoons and reeling them when nearlj' dry, but 

 they are placed in the moveable cups piei"ccd with holes fitting into the 

 l^late as described. These plates, with moveable cups, are well suited to 

 reel cocoons naturally open, so long as they contain the chrysalis (plein), 

 but seem no longer to answer when the cocoons arc empty (vidos), that is, 

 when the moth has escaped. 



In flict, the force used to draw apart and collect the single threads 

 (brins), no longer finds a counterpoise in the empty cocoons, which do not 

 remain in the cups, but are drawn out. Hence it becomes necessary to give 

 the empty cocoon a certain weight, a certain resistance, sufficient to retain 

 them " in situ," but not so great as to rupture the threads. After consider- 

 able experience, I conceived an apparatus intended to retain the empty 

 cocoons, and yet to allow the reeling to proceed easily and. rapidl3^ This 

 .apparatus is composed of several skewers (broches), carrying needles of 

 varying height, and it is placed on a basin for the purpose, if necessary, of 



