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PROCESS 7. STEAMING THE SILK. 



This is done by submitting the silk when stretched 

 upon the reels, as it comes from the throwsting frame, 

 to the action of steam in a large receiver calculated for 

 the purpose. The steam is raised in a tin vessel over a 

 cylindrical stove and passes into the receiver by a lead- 

 en pipe. The object of this process is to set the twist. 



PROCESS 8. UNGUMMING OR CLEANSING THE SILK. 



This is done by boiling the silk in soap and water in a 

 large vat for the purpose of clearing it from the natural 

 gum, which is in all silk in its natural state. By this 

 process the silk looses in weight about one quarter. 



PROCESS 9. DYEING THE SILK. 



This is done by subjecting the silk to liquid dyes, and 

 the different colors are produced with about the same 

 ease that that they are in woolen and cotton dyeing. 



PROCESS 10 SOFT SILK WINDING. 



This is done on an engine by girls in a manner very 

 similar to that described in the second process, the object 

 of it being merely to get the silk from the skeins to the 

 bobbins. The silk is then fit for the weaver's use. 



Thus the silk is carried through ten different and dis- 

 tinct processes from the cocoon to the weaver's use, each 

 of which processes require skill and care. 



The silk is then taken by the weaver and warped and 

 wove into any kind of stuffs tequired handkerchiefs, 

 vestings, satins, suspender-webbing and furniture bind- 

 ing have been made chiefly, as also stockings ; but the 



