COTTON 321 



bon form ready to go into a large roll or sheet, 

 known as the completed "lap." 



CARDING 



The carding machine receives the lap. Its series 

 of cylinders covered with wire brush take it around 

 their course and deliver it at the front of the ma- 

 chine, now in the shape of a cord of untwisted 

 cotton known as the sliver. 



And here you see a beautiful sight indeed ! The 

 fleecy white lap rushes eagerly into the combs, and as 

 quickly disappears, soon again coming into view, 

 white and spotless as ever, but now changed in 

 form, for it has become a long round cord that is 

 by and by to be the thread used in weaving our 

 cotton fabrics. 



Next the sliver goes to the drawing-frame. Here 

 a sort of doubling-up work is to be done. Some- 

 thing like six slivers or untwisted cords are fed into 

 the machine, out of which comes but one, but that 

 one is better than the other six, for the fibers, at- 

 tenuated and drawn out, are now more nearly 

 parallel, more even and uniform. 



While the sliver that leaves the drawing-frame 

 is but a sixth of the size of all that entered it, it is 

 still too large and altogether too easily broken; 

 the cord must be lessened in size and twisted a 

 number of times that it may be strong and even. 

 This work can be done only gradually, else mis- 

 haps will occur and make good thread an impos- 

 sibility. 



From the drawing frame the sliver goes to the 

 slubber, which gives it its first twist, reduces it in 

 thickness, renames it roving, and then passes the 

 roving on to the intermediate and roving frames, 



