180 On the Rise and Progress 
have been gradually improving in their do- 
mestic comforts and conveniences. 
In the year 1797 a new machine for clean- 
ing cotton was constructed by Mr. Snodgrass, 
and first used at Johnston near Paisley by 
Messrs. Houston and Co. 
This is called a scutching or blowing ma- 
chine.—Its merits were but little known till 
1808 or 1809, when it was introduced into 
Manchester*. It is now generally adopted 
for cleaning cotton.—The labor of that ope- 
ration, formerly performed by women, ina 
most fatiguing manner, and always consider- 
ed as degrading; has been reduced by this 
machine to about one twentieth of what it 
used to be. 
Weaving looms moved by machinery, or 
what are called power-looms, are now become 
objects of considerable importance. These 
were constructed with great ingenuity, and 
with some prospect of success, so early as 
the year 1774, by Dr. Cartwright at Doncas- 
ter. Dr. Cartwright’slooms made good cloth; 
but so much time was lost in dressing the warp 
in the loom, that they on the whole possessed 
* Mr. Arkwrightand Messrs. Strutts have added most 
useful improvements to this machine. 
