156 Essay on Sheep, 



which turns the spindle in a contrary direction. 

 Spectacle de la Nature says it should be the 

 warp, because this requires to be most twisted; 

 the Ejicyclopcedists say the contrary, assigning 

 as a reason that the smoothest thread can be 

 made by the open band, and that it is necessary 

 that the warp should be particularly smooth 

 and even; that inequalities are of less conse- 

 quence in the woof, because they are corrected 

 in the fulling. I have not sufficient knowledge 

 of the subject to decide when such authorities 

 differ: but in either case the woof must be spun 

 as loose as possible. This renders the cloth soft, 

 and makes it easier to raise the wool for shear- 

 ing. To facilitate the spinning loose, a greater 

 quantity of oil must be used in spinning the 

 woof than in spinning the warp; for the first a 

 fourth of the weight of the wool is used, for 

 the last only one-eighth. This must be under- 

 stood as applying only to fine yarn. Coarse 

 thread is strong enough in itself to require but 

 little grease. Olive oil is preferred in Europe; 

 that which is most liquid must be used here. 

 I will not venture a farther discussion on the 

 subject of manufacturing cloth, since this in- 

 formation will be better acquired from practical 

 manufacturers, who are to be found in almost 

 every part of the State, 



