i43 [ 175 3 



ping the instrument m it frequently; and the lire under the basin mu^: 

 be lessened or increased as occasion may require. A little attention 

 will soon enable the person who has the management of the basin, to 

 oreserve the water at the proper degree of heat. 



The reeling is effected by the use of the apparatus represented in 

 plate 1, fig. 1." The person cfiarged with the management of the cocoons 

 in the basin, must be provided with a small whisk of broom-corn, or 

 of birch twigs cut sharp at the points, and, being seated bchiiid the ba- 

 sin previously filled with soft hot water, and the basin placed upon y. 

 furnace containing burning charcoal, she must throw into the water a 

 handful or two of cocoons of one sort and degree of firmness, and press 

 them gently under the water for two or three minutes, in order to 

 soften the gum of the silk, and thereby to loosen the ends of the fila- 

 ments. She is then to stir the cocoons with the end of the whisk, as 

 lightly as possible,! until one of the fibres, or filaments, adheres to it^ 

 when, disengaging it, and laying aside the whisk, she is to draw the 

 filament towards her, until it comes off quite clean from flos, or coarse 

 silk, which always surrounds the cocoon, and the fine silk begins to 

 appear: then, breaking ofl' the thread, and collecting the flos first 

 taken off, she must put it aside. The whisk is then to be applied again, 

 to get hold of the fine fibres, all of which must be set apart, each fibre 

 by itself, by fixing it to a piece of wood kept near to the furnace for 

 that purpose, or to afram.e of wood placed all around, and on the edge 

 of the copper, till the whole, or the greatest part, are arranged in this 

 manner, which are thus in readiness to be thrown in, to furni the thread 

 of silk to be u'ound off. This done, she is to unite a number of the 

 fibres, according to the fineness of the intended;]; thread, and delivers 

 the compound thread to the reeler, who puts it through one of the 

 holes in tho iron plate, placed horizontally above the basin containing 

 the cocoons and water. Another thread is, in like manner, to be pre- 

 pared; and passed through the adjoining hole. This process is repeat- 

 ed with the two other holes at the other end of the plate; the two 

 threads are then crossed twenty or twenty-five times, and the ends of 

 each thread passed through the guide-hooks, (rampins,§) MM, of the 

 traversing bar I, and on the contrary side to the hole in the iron plate 

 through which it had previously been passed. They are then to be; 



• There are several kinds or patterns of reels. The one here referred to, was im- 

 ported by the writer from Genoa into Pliiladelpbla, in the year 1826, and answers 

 perfectly. Mr. 1). Tees, No. 150, North Front .street, and B. F. Pomeroj-, corner 

 of Walnut and Dock streets, Philiidelphia, arc recommended to those who wish to 

 have silk reels made. 



f The cocoons should be just touched. If they be struck roughly, the fibres of 

 the silk, in place of coming off sing'ly, cling together in lumps, which prevents i: 

 Jfom winding off. 



^ For fine silk, four fibres, from four cocoons, are to be passed through eacli 

 of two holes in the iron plate, most distant f: om each other. The rule for inferior 

 cocoons will be hereafter mentioned. Two skeins of silk, from good cocoons, ar<- 

 always reeled at the same time, whether the silk be iiue or coarse. Sec plate 

 1, fig. 1. 



§ If these were made of brass wire, the threads wculd mors readily pass thvosiel; 

 ^hem, aji'j n'^ ^e salit'ble to nsf. ds v.'hen iron w'.ve is v;-yj. 



