172 SILK. 



sary to give the reeler an adequate idea of the pro* 

 cess. A few hours spent in reeling will teach more 

 than volumes, which only describe it. Let not the 

 person despair, for the art may be acquired in a few 

 days, and even in a few hours. 



Silk, when taken from the reel, is called raw silk, 

 because it is not manufactured. There are three 

 qualities, enumerated in proportion to fineness, or by 

 the fibres taken from a certain number of cocoons. 

 This is the reeler's business. 



It is not only necessary to be particular in reeling 

 silk, but also in every thing appertaining to the busi- 

 ness. Care is necessary in disbanding silk from the 

 reel, as its fibres are subject to different degrees of 

 tension. Hence the necessity of sorting the cocoons 

 well. They should all be of one kind; that is, all 

 that are reeled in one lot. If part are of the 

 fine or demi fine, all of them should be. There are 

 other causes, however, to which the different degrees 

 of tension is owing. Some of the cocoons are long- 

 er in the water than others, and the slender last ends 

 of some are united with the strong first ends of other 

 cocoons. It is, therefore, certain that some of the 

 fibres will stretch much more readily than others. 



The skein of silk should in all cases remain on the 

 reel several hours, or even a day when convenient; 

 by which it will become thoroughly dry. I have no 

 doubt but that Mr. Gay's machine is best calculated 

 to take silk from the cocoon, to say nothing of the 



