230 THE CULTURE 



glolTy threads, without breach from begin- 

 ning to end, yet fo glued together by their 

 natural gum, that to the naked eye they 

 appear but as one thread, in finenefs equal 

 to the fmalleft hair j were this thread to 

 undergo the operation of carding or comb- 

 ing, its fmooth uninterrupted furface would 

 be deflroyed, it would be reduced to a mafs 

 of broken and entangled, fibres, fit only to 

 be fpun in the fame tedious manner as flax 

 or wool, and incapable of making ftufFs 

 with that line giofs for which nature ex- 

 tended it to a thoufand foot length. 



Yet, to reel off each fiikpod feparately, 

 would be of no ufe, as the finenefs of the 

 thread would then be infuihcient for ma- 

 nufa61ures ; it is therefore contriv^ed that a 

 number fhould be joined and reeled at 

 once out of warm water, which foftening 

 their natural gum, makes them flick toge- 

 ther, fo as to form one flrong fmooth 

 thread. 



This thread however is not formed by 

 joining a certain number of filkpods, and 

 fo winding them all off till their threads 

 ended, for by this method the thread which 

 is formed of them all together could not 

 exceed a certain length, and by thefe means 



a new 



