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SILK MANUAL, AND 



angles near the centre of the cylinder. The 

 partitions are perforated by small holes, which 

 admit water from each, to the other, but keep dif- 

 ferent parcels of the cocoons separate, which is 

 said to be necessary in reeling. 



The lower part of the boiler B, which is of 

 cast iron, is let into the cylinder C, i-esting on a 

 flange or shoulder, and extending downwards to 

 the top of the door by which fuel is admitted. 

 The cylinder, fire pot, ash pit, and stove pipe have 

 nothing peculiar in their construction, excep,t that 

 there is more perpendicular sjiace above the fire 

 door than usual, for the purpose of affording 

 room for the boiler. For further observations on 

 this apparatus, and notices of its advantages, we 

 would refer to the Silk Manual for the last month, 

 page 82. 



This apparatus has been used by Mr Cobb, author 

 of CohVs Silk Manual, who has favored us with 

 the following : 



I have used Mr Thomas G. Fessenden's Patent 

 Steam Boiler for healing the water in reeling silk, 

 and find it both economical and useful. The 

 water in which the cocoons are, is kept equable 

 by means of the application of steam to the basin, 

 and there is a considerable saving of labor and 

 fuel by the apparatus. J. H. COBB. 



Dedham, July l'2tli, 1835. 



The apparatus may also be usefully ap;;Iied in 

 killing the chrysalis in the cocoons, and also for 

 drying cocoons before bringing them to market as 

 will be apparent from the following communica- 

 tion from the pen of Mr Adam Brooks, inventor 

 of Brooks' Patent Silk Spinner. 



[For the Silk Manual.] 

 The disappointment that many have met with 

 by not knowing that cocoons must be dryed before 

 they are packed away for spinning, induces me 

 to write a few lines on the subject. Some of my 

 acquaintance have recently lost a number of 

 bushels ; others small quantities. I was informed 

 in Connecticut that one man lost thirty bushels, 

 and many have written to me for information, that 

 a few observations which I have ever found ne- 

 cessary to be attended to, in order to insure suc- 

 cess, cannot be unwelcome. Let the cocoons be 

 b'aked, care being taken not to have the oven too 



Jiot, or stifling them is preferable, as then they 

 cannot be hurt by burning. 



Thomas G, Fessenden, Editor of the New 

 England Farmer, has an apparatus for warming 

 rooms, which has been advertised in th;.t most 

 useful paper. This will be found a convenience 

 indeed for killing the chrysalis, as vircll as useful 

 for many other purposes, having a pan* afiixed to 

 it to heat by boiling water, which is exactly what 

 we want for killing the moth. Let them be heat- 

 ed in this pan about half an hour; when they are 

 warm, put into the pan a very little camphorated 

 spirits, and thoy may be kejit for years, and no 

 insect will injure them. When they are taken 

 out, spread them on a cloth, or smooth boards ; 

 if it is damp weather and you have a large parcel, 

 spread them thin in an open room, and stir them 

 about as often as once a day, or the under side 

 will mould and spoil the silk ; or they may be 

 dryed in the same pan that the chrj'salis is killed 

 in, if we dry a few at a time. If we have a clear 

 sun, it is a better way to lay them in the sun and 

 dry them until they feel light and rattle by shak- 

 ing; then, and not until then, is it safe to pack 

 them away for spinning or for market. 



The stove above alluded to, is also a most con- 

 venient apparatus for spinning the silk, there is a 

 pan with it, made for that purpose, set into another 

 pan of water,f that the water the cocoons are in 

 never boils, but may be kept of the right tempe- 

 rature for spinning. With this necessary appara- 

 tus, and Brooks' Patent Silk Spinner I couW insure 

 success with but a little practical experience. 



A. Brooks. 



In conversation with the Editor, Mr Brooks 

 suggested that some cocoons wind the better for 

 being immersed, for a short time in boiling water, 

 before attempting to reel off the silk ; and then 

 placing them, during the process of reeling in 

 water of a somewhat lower temperature. This 

 can easily and readily he effected by taking off 

 the steamer *4, together with the cocoon-heater, 

 raising the temperature of the water in the cast 

 iron boiler B, to a boiling heat, and immersing 



* This pan is tiie vessel described above as the oocoon 

 heater, 

 t Or rather over a boiler, and heated by Bteam. 



