55 



portion of the first layer has been wound off. The quan- 

 tity of silk which can be reeled in any given time, is in 

 proportion to the quickness with which the spinner can 

 add fresh cocoons. Thus, if we suppose that every co- 

 coon at a medium, will either break or be wound off at 

 the end of every five hundred feet, then, if five such 

 pods are reeled together, one will be wanted to every 

 hundred feet that are reeled ; if ten are reeled together, 

 one will be wanted at every fifty feet ; if sixteen together, 

 then at thirtyone feet, and so on. The seldomer cocoons 

 end, or break, the greater number of them can one spin- 

 ner attend, which shows the advantage of sound cocoons 

 and of expert management in reeling. 



The cocoons which wind off in part only and the 

 shells must not be permitted to remain in the water, as 

 they will obscure and thicken the water, and injure the 

 color and lustre of the silk, which can then be used only 

 for dark colors. The shells should be buried^to prevent 

 their being offensive ; as a general rule, the water 

 should be changed as soon as it becomes discolored. 



When the spent cocoons leap up and adhere to the 

 guide wires, they must be immediately taken away, else 

 by choking the passage they will endanger the break- 

 ing of the thread. 



When the reel has remained any time idle, the thread 

 between the basin and the wires may be wet, to cause 

 the thread to run easily. 



In winding off the best cocoons some defective ones 

 will be found amongst them, which will not wind off or 

 are full of knobs ; these should be taken out of the basin 

 immediately in order to be wound by themselves. 



The breaking of the fibres is principally owing either 



