180 SILK. 



nothing of the process of dyeing the various colors, 

 inasmuch as recipes may be found in all works on 

 the subject. 



In speaking of the manufacture of sewing silk in 

 families in Connecticut, Mr. Cobb says" After it is 

 reeled from the cocoon, it is immersed for a few mo- 

 ments in boiling water, taken out, put on swifts, and 

 spun or twisted on a common woollen wheel, begin- 

 ning at the large end of the piece, that is the end 

 which was reeled first ; and when it becomes small, 

 which is the case when one-half or two-thirds is run 

 off, the small end of another piece is added to it, and 

 thus they are twisted together. It is then spooled di- 

 rectly off the spindle ; a sufficient number of spools 

 is put into a small spool frame to make a thread of 

 proper size > which is twisted again while it is moist. 

 It is reeled again, and cleansed by boiling in strong 

 suds for three hours, then dried and colored. Under- 

 going this process it shrinks about one-half in weight ; 

 after this for sewing silk, it is doubled, twisted and 

 reeled on a reel two yards long, and is divided into 

 skeins of twenty threads each, as the statute of the 

 State requires. If it be calculated for twist, it is 

 made three threaded, twisted and done up into sticks 

 with a small hand machine, and is then ready for mar- 

 ket." 



Brooks' Silk Spinning Machine is highly spoken 

 of, as suitable for families engaged in the art of ma- 

 king sewing silk. This machine takes the silk from 



