128 SILK GROWER'S GUIDE. 



warp of silk, but the woof of linen, woollen, cotton, or 

 even of hair. Similar imitations come from India, and 

 possessing a good degree of beauty, are much used at 

 the present day. 



Satin is a twilled fabric, of a peculiar description, 

 seven-eighths of the warp being kept floating on the sur- 

 face, and exposed to view. The beautiful finish and lus- 

 tre is communicated by passing it through heated cylin- 

 ders. 



Crape is a light, transparent article, woven plain, but 

 prepared by a peculiar process in a mill, and stiffened 

 by a gum. 



The elegant figured silks, of a vast variety of patterns, 

 are now woven by the curious machine of M. Jacquard, 

 with a wonderful saving of labor and of time. 



The surfaces of plain silks are now embossed by be- 

 ing passed between two metallic rollers which are exactly 

 fitted to each other, and in one of which the intended 

 pattern is sunk in the cylinder, and in the other cylin- 

 der it is raised. This process is extensively employed 

 for ornamenting ribbons, vest patterns, &,c. The effect 

 is extremely tasteful and beautiful. One of the cylin- 

 ders is hollow, for the purpose of introducing a red hot 

 iron. 



Many substantial and beautiful fabrics are formed of 

 a combination of silk and worsted. Bombazine is formed 

 of silk and worsted, generally woven grey and dyed af- 

 terwards. Other beautiful varieties are formed of silk 

 and cottons. Varieties of vestings, varieties of heavy 

 damask, concan, seersuckers and other fabrics from In- 

 dia and China, also elegant imitations of figured silk 

 for ladies' dresses, are now formed in France of cotton 

 and silk. Very beautiful hats are now formed of felt, 

 with the covering of silk plush, which can hardly be 

 distinguished from the finest beaver, to which they are 

 so far superior that while the latter is extremely liable 

 to lose its color and lustre, becoming rusty, the hats 

 formed of silk retain their glossy jet black for a double 

 length of time. 



