OF SILK. 231 



a new fet of pods mufl be chofen, and a 

 new thread begun fo often as would greatly 

 interrupt tlie work ; befidcs, the thread 

 would continually lelFen in thicknefs as the 

 fingle threads of the filkpods do, and by 

 the breaking of fome, and by others end- 

 ing before the reft, there would be a wafte 

 of what remained. They contrive there- 

 fore to be continually adding the fingle 

 threads of frefli pods as often as others 

 end or break, by which method the thread 

 is continued to what length they pleafe. 

 The fingle threads of the new added pods 

 are not joined by any tie, but only fim- 

 ply laid on the main thread, to which 

 they adhere by their gum, and their ends 

 are fo fine, as not to occafion the leaft 

 perceptible unevennefs in the place where 

 they are laid on. 



Jt or your eafier conception, 1 here give 

 a general fketch of the manner in which 

 the pods are reeled. Firft, the pods are 

 cleared of their foft outward fiofs, and a 

 handful or two of them are thrown into a 

 fmall kettle of water, under which is a fire 

 to keep it hot. The ends of the threads 

 are found by ftirring the balls with a fmall 

 befom made of fine heath -, then, accord- 

 0^4 ing 



