384 GKAPE CULTUKE AND WINE-MAKING. 



by continually waving them to and fro, and stretching. After 

 this they arc given over to the left hand. 



Now the operation begins of winding them on a reel. Accord- 

 ing to the stronger or finer quality wanted, 5, 6, 7, frequently even 

 10 or 12, and more, such natural threads are spun together into 

 one. Of such, two are formed and drawn through a piece of tin, 

 pierced by small round holes, that is fixed above the kettle. From 

 here they are conducted, by means of wire-pins with eyes, or a 

 glass fixture, to the "ree/," after being crossed or twisted a little. 

 An equal thickness and strength is the main consideration in a 

 thread, and is only to be effected by a strict attention paid upon 

 all of the cocoons in the water. At the beginning, as well as at 

 the end, each thread tapers off a little ; a new one must, there- 

 fore, be added at the right time. 



The closest attention has to be given to the cocoons in the ket- 

 tle by the person in charge of the work, and as soon as the thread 

 of one is found broken, it must be replaced by another one. It 

 will not do to wait until the cocoon has entirely run off; but the 

 rest of it, formed of a thin skin, must be taken out in time, pre- 

 venting its juncture to the thread, and thereby spoiling it; but 

 this must not be done too soon, because too much of the valua- 

 ble silk would be lost. 



At the operator's right side a vessel with cold water is placed, 

 to cool the fingers from time to time. This water must be river 

 or rain water. If well water can not be avoided, it has previous- 

 ly to be exposed for several days to the influence of the sun to 

 make it soft. 



The unwinding of the cocoons begins soon after the assorting 

 is gone through. The room in which it is done must be bright, 

 airy, and spacious. It is best to perform the operation in the open 

 air under a shed ; but the day must be fine, as rainy weather 

 makes the silk not dry well, and lose its lustre. 



Each separate reel has a so-called conductor^ by which, incessant- 

 ly moving to and fro, the threads, in strings three or four inches 

 wide, arc conveyed to the reel. This causes that, in more than a 

 hundred revolutions, the thread gains time to dry off perfectly be- 

 fore another one covers it. Those strings should not weigh more 

 than three or four ounces, to promote their drying. Before they 

 are taken off from the reel, the silk must be cleaned of those stick- 

 ing out or broken. The reel is for this purpose first loosened and 

 afterward tightened again. A few hours later the silk can be re- 

 moved. 



The person that turns the reel has to pay close attention to any 

 motion made or sign given to her by the one spinning. A con- 

 trivance, by means of which this latter one may cither stop at 

 pleasure or start the reel from its position by a pressure of the 

 foot simply, is very advisable. A closer description of the whole 

 machinery would not be necessary here. 



