On the Treatment of the Silk-Worrrl. 97 



«f each circle, to admit the thread. These circles are 

 fixed in a light piece of wood, which, by a small wheel 

 operated on by a cord fixed round the axle of the large 

 wheel, is kept moving backwards and for\\avds in the 

 space of three or four inches. The objects of these cir- 

 cles is to keep the threads at equal distances from each 

 other as they are wound off by the wheel, passing round 

 the bottom of it first. These different turns of the silk 

 seem to be necessan/ to connect together the number of 

 very fine minute threads of the web of which each thread 

 is composed, when wound off on the wheel. There 

 would appear to be some glutinous matter which ena- 

 bles these threads, so fine as to be hardly visible, to 

 adhere to each other, and not afterwards be separated 

 by any operation of dyeing, weaving, Sec. The thread, 

 notwithstanding that it comes so immediately out of the 

 Water, is wound off on the \vheel perfectly drj^ and of a 

 bright orange colour. To enable the person who may 

 attempt the operation of drawing the silk, should it be 

 introduced in the United- States, I have procured a 

 drawing of the apparatus, which may render it more in- 

 telligible. 



I have been informed, that, in the northern parts of 

 Italy, where the best silk is made, the machine they use 

 takes only one thread, and that it is, in consequence, 

 better and more evenly spun. 



Should theseobservations be productiveof introducing, 

 through the extensive means, and enlightened policy, of 

 your excellency, the culture of the silk, in its difl'crent 

 branches, into the United- States, and without which we 

 must be under tribute to other countries, for that useful 



VOL. II. PART II. N 



