jected till the threads unwound regularly, freely passing 

 over the glass rods to prevent the injuries of friction. 

 The first portions, necessarily useless, are separated by the 

 hand. When the thread came off uniformly, the co- 

 coons were raised, suspended to the hand by their re- 

 spective threads, and thus handed over to those on the 

 opposite side, who in their turn threw them into cauldrons 

 of water, the temperature of which was nearly that of 

 blood heat and more than milk warm, thus sustained by a 

 steam pipe. The water was thus kept clean and the 

 silk preserved pure and unsoiled ; from these the threads 

 were finally wound. The proprietor informed him that 

 this establishment cost about 60,000 francs, or about 

 twelve thousand dollars. 



This was probably Gensoul's apparatus, on which 

 great encomiums have been passed. In this apparatus 

 the water is heated by steam ; but it is expensive and 

 has not yet got into general use even in Europe. 



We in America are not obliged to pursue the same 

 course that is followed in Europe. The ingenuity and 

 intelligence of our community will soon arrange a reeling 

 apparatus by the family fireside ; and that part of the year 

 which cannot be employed in rearing the worms will be 

 advantageously improved in reeling the cocoons to any 

 given pattern or degree of fineness ; nor is there in fact 

 any more difficulty in it than in the manufacture of straw, 

 and many other employments which have engaged the at- 

 tention of our females. The time is not probably far 

 distant, when America will excel Europe in her silk 

 manufactures as much as she now does in her cotton. 



The great requisite in reeling is evenness and equality 



