REELING SILK. 



SULPHURING SILK. 



When it is desirable to give silk a peculiar firmness 

 it is fumigated with brimstone. This process is called 

 sulphuring, and is thus performed: A high studded 

 room or garret, without a fire place, but with doors 

 and windows which may be thrown open at pleasure 

 for ventilation, is chosen for the operation. The 

 skeins of silk are hung on poles suspended from above 

 by cords, at the height of seven or eight feet from the 

 floor. For every hundred pounds of silk a pound 

 and a half, or two pounds of roll brimstone is pro- 

 cured, placed in a chaffing dish, and set on fire. The 

 doors and windows are then closed, as are also all 

 crevices through which the fumes of the brimstone 

 might escape. In this situation it is left for twelve or 

 fifteen houis, generally through one night, when the 

 doors and windows are opened. When the room is 

 sufficiently ventilated to admit of going into it, the 

 silk is taken down. The process is sometimes re- 

 peated on silk designed for some uses, particularly 

 azure whites, 



ALUMING SILK. 



When silk is to be dyed, it sometimes undergoes a 

 process which is called "aluming" which is thus per- 

 formed. A solution of alum water is first prepared 

 by dissolving forty or fifty pounds of alum, in forty or 

 fifty buckets full of soft water, or in about the propor- 

 tion of a pound. to a bucket full of water. The alum 

 is dissolved in hot water, and then poured into the 

 tub, or other vessel, containing the cold water. In 

 doing this, care must be taken to stir it briskly, so 



