474 CHREOTECHNICS. 



the Mule, or the Mule Jenny, by Mr. Crompton, in 1779 ; combin- 

 ing the spinning jenny with Arkwright's improvements ; so as to 

 make finer and smoother thread. The invention of the first Carding 

 Machine, is attributed to Mr. Paul, in 1748. 



The most ancient looms, such as are still used for weaving, by the 

 natives of India, had the thread descending vertically from the beam 

 on which it was wound : and the weaving commenced at the lower 

 end, progressing upwards. The horizontal loom, with heddles. to 

 separate the alternate threads, or warp, before inserting the woof, or 

 filling, by means of the shuttle, was of later origin. The first suc- 

 cessful invention of the Power loom, moving solely by machinery, 

 was by Rev. Dr. Cartwright, in 1785 : but this invention was re- 

 peatedly modified by others ; and was a long time in coming into 

 use. We have no room here to explain how great an influence these 

 improvements in spinning and weaving have exerted, upon the pro- 

 ductive industry, not of Great Britain and the United States only, 

 but of the whole civilized world. 



Our further remarks on Vestiture, will be distributed under the 

 heads of Linen, Cotton, Woolen, and Silk Manufactures ; conclud- 

 ing with some remarks on Felting and Tanning. 



1. The Linen Manufacture, derives its name from linum, the 

 botanical name of flax. The flax, after being pulled and rotted, as 

 mentioned under agriculture, is dressed by breaking, or passing it 

 between alternate bars, which break the woody stem ; then swin- 

 gling, or beating it, to remove the woody fragments ; and lastly 

 heckling, or combing it, to remove the coarser fibres, and split the 

 remaining bark more finely. It has hitherto been spun only on 

 the one thread wheel : as it requires the peculiar management of the 

 hand, in drawing it. After the weaving, which is usually performed 

 by hand, it is bleached, either by dipping it in ley, and exposing it to 

 the sun ; or by the action of chlorine. 



Among the linen fabrics, are sail cloth, which is coarse and plain ; 

 sheeting and shirting, which are finer ; cambric, which is plainly 

 woven, but still finer, so named from Cambray in Flanders ; and 

 lawn, which is a sheer cambric, thin and transparent. Linen diaper, 

 is woven with figures ; one thread crossing two or more at a time ; 

 and lace, is a network, formerly woven on a cushion or pillow ; the 

 thread being wound on bobbins of bone, and netted around pins, 

 stuck in the cushion, whence it is called bone lace. This, when 

 embroidered with the needle, is called point lace ; while bobbin-net 

 is made with machinery, and usually of cotton. The coarser sail 

 cloth, is made from hemp ; much in the same manner as cloth is 

 made from flax ; and both materials are wrought into ropes and 

 cordage, on the same principles which are employed in spinning 

 thread. 



2. The Cotton Manufacture, is now chiefly carried on by the 

 agency of machinery ; to which we have already referred. Raw 

 cotton, is derived from the seed pods of the cotton plant, or gossy- 

 pium. The two principal varieties, cultivated in our Southern 

 States, are the black seed, or long staple, with long fibres, which are 

 drawn out from the seeds by means of the roller gin ; and the green 



