OR, A TREATISE ON PILE. 157 



lock. Now suppose these two spirally-curled filaments to be broken into curves and 

 sections of rings, by the scribbling machine and cards, at the places indicated by the 

 horizontal lines upon the figure A, B, the tendency to entangle is, in the first place, 

 increased in proportion to the number of these curves or sections of rings. But suppose, 

 again, that these curves and sections of rings are presented to each other (as they will be 

 after the wool is scribbled and carded) in the opposite direction of the points of their 

 scales, as represented in the figure C, D, the tendency to entangle, and the mass to mat, 

 will be still further increased, in proportion to the number of curves or sections of rings 

 that are thus oppositely presented. 



From all which we learn, that although the scales are the principal cause of felting and 

 fulling, yet that they receive considerable aid from the spiral curls. 



Having discussed so much at length the properties of the wool that will felt and full, it 

 now becomes us to say a few words respecting 



THE FLEECE FOR MANUFACTURING ARTICLES THAT WILL NOT SHRINK. Fleece that will 

 not shrink, or will not do so in an appreciable degree, is exceedingly valuable for the 

 manufacture of flannel, worsted,* blankets, hose, &c., &c. Now we are to understand 

 that "-shrinking" (which is defined to be "the contracting into a smaller space") is only 

 another word for "fulling," since it depends for its operations upon precisely the same 

 properties of the fleece. f If wool, possessing the felting property, be manufactured into 

 doth, all but the f idling, it, will afterwards, when used and washed, shrink. And so will 

 flannel, if made from the same material. On the other hand, cloth which is made from a 

 fleece which has no felting property, will not full, and the only way to obtain Jlannel, fa., 

 which will not shrink, is to use that material. This is correct in theory, and will hold 

 equally good in practice, as any one will discover who will try the experiment ; so that 

 nothing further remains to be known but whether the sheep-breeder can, at pleasure, pro- 

 duce one fleece that will felt and full, and another fleece that will not shrink; and this 

 question we propose now to discuss. 



OF SHEEP. Wool grows upon a great many animals; but our chief supply is obtained 

 from the Sheep. 



Sheep (Ovis, O. 6, " Pecora" of Lin.,) belong to the tribe of hollow horns, of the order 

 KUMINANTIA, and are distinguished from the Goat, principally, by the direction of the 

 horns. 



We will not consume time by enumerating the different kinds of Sheep mentioned in 

 books, nor by noticing the vain endeavors that have been made to refer all the domesticated 

 varieties to some wild species. They were domesticated as early as the time of Abel 



* Worsted is a thread spun of fleece that has been combed, and which, in the spinning, is twisted harder than ordinarily. 

 Formerly it was chiefly used to be woven into stockings, caps, gloves, &c. The name is derived from that of the town in 

 England where it was first manufactured. (See Slater's Memoir, appt., p. 440, where will be found some excellent remarks 

 upon the manufacture of worsted. 



t The degree may vary. 



