60 



threads, from left to right. The combination of these 

 to threads, is called the pearl, as the organzirie looks 

 Jike a string of small pearls or beads. It is easy to know 

 t the second throw be perfect, by untwisting part of the 

 urganzine, and when it is open, or slackening the hand a 

 Ule, each thread twists round itself in obedience to 

 the first throw or twist. The water may be filled up as 

 it wastes, but the ashes, soap and oil. arc to be renew- 

 ed every day. 



MACHINERY. 



It is not our purpose to give minute descriptions of the 

 various reels, looms, and other machinery used in the 

 preparation and manufacture of silk. Such an occupa- 

 tion of our pages, we deem wholly unnecessary, be- 

 cause it is not to be presumed that farmers will desire 

 to become manufacturers of such implements, and, in- 

 deed, if they were so disposed, the immunities of the pa- 

 tent law would prevent them. We shall, therefore, 

 content ourself with enumerating such of the most 

 prominent inventions, as appear to us, by their merit, 

 to demand notice. Indeed, more than this, in the pres- 

 ent state of improvement, when the spirit of emulation 

 is emphatically abroad, would be worse than superero- 

 gatory. Any individual entering into the silk culture, 

 will, as a matter of sheer prudence, in the exercise of 

 a sound discrimination, piocure for himself the best of 

 all such machinery as he may require to carry on such 

 branches of the business, as it may be his peculiar plea- 

 sure to engage in ; and with respect to the prosecution of 

 the business by manufacturing companies, they will not 

 require to be reminded of what particular kinds of ma- 

 chinery, or implements, they will need, their interest 

 will at once dictate the procurement of such as is best 

 adapted to the uses, to which they intend to appropri- 

 ate them. 



The brief notice below will suffice for all profitable 

 uses of the farmer or planter : 



1. The silk reel, of Piedmont.i 



2. Gideon It. Smith's improved silk reel being an 

 improvement upon the above, the operation being great- 

 ly simplified. 



3. Brooks 1 patent silk spinning and reeling machine. 

 This is represented as being a very simple and easy op- 

 erating machine, and yet one of the most perfect that 

 has been invented for the purpose of reeling and twist- 

 ing silk from the cocoons, and manufacturing it into 

 sewing silk. 



4. Gay and Moseky's reel, and silk power loom. The fol- 

 lowing description of the latter improved machinery 

 we copy from that excellent and sensibly conducted pe- 

 riodical, The Silk Worm," published at Albany, New 

 York, and edited by Samuel Blydenburgh, Esquire. 

 u " J 1 J? C im P roved system of winding silk, invented 

 by Mr. Gay, many and important advantages are gain- 

 ed ; but gull it will not altogether supercede the use o 

 the reel. By his plan the silk is wound on spools from 

 the cocoons. In this state it is not liable to tatgle as 

 when in skeins. When once wound in a contiguoui 

 thread on the spools, it may be kept any length of time 

 and carried any distance., without injury. It will be 

 in the same state of keeping, as the spools of cotton 

 thread, and may always be wound off in the same entir 

 thread as it was wound on. 



When the silk is intended to be sold to the manufac 

 turer even to the merchant, this is infinitely the safes 

 way in which it can be preserved. When in the skeii 

 it is always liable to injuries, either in keeping or in 

 trasportation. 



If the silk is cultivated near to where it is to be manu 

 factured, the manufacturer can furnish the spools 

 weighing them s they are delivered out, and deduct 

 ing the weight of the spools when returned from th 

 silk. If it is to go through several hands, the spool 



nay be made of an exact given weight, and warranted 

 ot to weigh more. 



The whole process of winding is, by this plan, not 

 endered much more simple and easy to learn, but is in- 

 nitely more convenient, as it will be done by a little 

 mig machine, which will be no inconvenience at the 

 reside, while the regular silk reel is much more cutn- 

 TOUS and would scarcely find room in a small dwell- 

 "g- 



But in nearly all cases, where the silk is to be manu- 

 actured, it will still have to be reeled from these 

 )obbins, or spools, into hanks or skeins. This, howev- 

 er, is no objection to winding it originally on spools, for 

 he saving and other advantages which result from 

 Beeping and preserving the silk on spools, overbal- 

 .nce the trouble of two windings." 



g#-\Ve take pleasure in stating, that these ma- 

 hines may be obtained on application to Samuel Bly- 

 lenburgh, Esquire, Albany, New York. 



Speaking of the machinery of Mr.Gay and his partner, 

 ilr. Moseley, Judge Ambrose Spencer, of Albany, New 

 York, in a letter to Mr. A. H. Brown, of Frederick 

 Bounty, Md. makes the following remarks, which 

 hrough the politeness of the latter gentleman, we are 

 >ermitted to copy : 



" I am personally acquainted with Mr. Gay : he is, 

 ndeed, a very ingenious man : independent'of the reel 

 nvented by him and Moseley, he, or they, have sim- 

 >lified all the machinery necessary for the manufac- 

 ure of silk, and there is now in operation at Provi- 

 dence, under Mr. Gay's direction, a manufactory of 

 silk, the stock in which has sold for more man 100 per 

 cent. .advance. He sent me a pattern for a vest, equal 

 to any imported. He finds that the power loom, by 

 vhich cotton has been woven, may be successfully used 

 'or the weaving of silk. Mr. Gay is the very man to 

 ^ive or furnish instruction in the art of reeling, and to 

 establish a manufactory, furnishing all the necessary 

 machinery." 



And in addition to this high encomium upon the mer- 

 its of Mr. Gay and his machinery, we have seen it 

 stated, that his red is so simple in its construction, as 

 that any woman can acquire sufficient knowledge of its 

 use, in two hours instruction, to become a tolerably ex- 

 pert reeler. 



5. Terhoeven's winding, doubling and twisting machine. 

 This is represented as a simple machine, invented by 

 Messrs. Terhoevens, of Philadelphia, used for winding 

 silk from cocoons, and for doubling and twisting the 

 thread at the same time. 



6. Cobb's reel. This is an invention of Mr. J. H. 

 Cobb, of Massachusetts, and it is stated to be a most 

 efficient machine, combining in an eminent degree sim- 

 plicity with power. 



There are many other reeling machines, of European 

 and American inventions, as well as numerous silk 

 looms, twisting machines, draw boys, ribbon looms, 

 looms for weaving plain and figured stuffs, and power 

 and other looms, and inventions, of one kind or another, 

 out of number ; but as our work is intended for farmers' 

 and planters, who, we presume, will scarcely ever car- 

 ry the business beyond converting the cocoons into raw 

 silk, we consider that, in noticing the machines herein 

 recited, we have accomplished all that need be required 

 by those for whose accommodation we have ventured 

 to compile this work. Indeed, so far as the interests of 

 the husbandman is concerned, except lor the purposes 

 of domestic use, such as sewing silk, knitting of stock- 

 ings, and the fabrication of an occasional dress for the 

 females of the family, we should doubt the propriety 

 of his carrying the silk culture beyond the point of 

 reeling. Having effected that, we think, he should be 

 content to transfer the business of all subsequent labor 

 upon the commodity, to the hands of the manufacturer, 



