88 REELING SILK. 



that it may mix ; otherwise the coldness of the wa- 

 ter might produce a chrystalization or congelation, as 

 it is termed by dyers. 



The skeins of silk, after being washed and freed of 

 the soap by beetling, are strung together by a cord, 

 care being taken that the hanks be not too much roll- 

 ed up, or folded one upon another, and steeped in the 

 alum water, for eight or ten hours. They are then 

 washed and wrung with the hands, over the tub that 

 the alum water may not be lost. They are then 

 rinsed in clean water and beetled again when neces- 

 sary. 



In aluming silk, especial care must be taken, that 

 the skeins are not put into the alum water until it is 

 cold, as a warm solution would destroy the lustre of 

 the silk. When large quantities are alumed, it will 

 be necessary to replenish the water with alum occa- 

 sionally, or the solution will become too weak, to 

 sufficiently saturate the silk. 



In performing this process, particular care should 

 be taken, that the alum used, be of the first quality. 

 It is often combined with iron, which renders it worth- 

 less for the dyer. It is, however, easily detected by 

 dissolving a small piece of it in distilled or rain water, 

 and adding a few drops of a solution of prussiate of 

 potash. If it be a combination of alum and iron, a 

 blue precipitate will immediately take place. 



MANUFACTURE OF SILK. 



We have now arrived at that stage in the business, 

 where the operations of the culturist cease, and those 

 of the manufacturer begin indeed, such was the fact 

 when the silk was disbanded from the reel, the sub- 

 sequent processes of ungumming &c. being the first 



