WOOL. 45 



tion of worsted yarn was formerly prohibited by law ; it is 

 now permitted, and forms an increasing and profitable branch 

 of trade. 



The preparation of wool by carding, for the manufacture 

 of woollen cloth, is performed in an entirely different manner. 

 In this process, the filaments are not kept entire and laid 

 parallel to one another in the direction of the thread to be 

 spun ; but they are torn and broken into innumerable minute 

 fragments, and then mingled together in every direction. By 

 the spiral growth of wool, as distingushed from that of hair, 

 each filament, or portion of a filament, is curled at its ex- 

 tremity, and the broken or divided parts tend to hook them- 

 selves to one another, so that, when a portion of wool is 

 forcibly broken into pieces, the fragments remain loosely 

 adherent, and may then be twisted or spun. The operation 

 of breaking the wool by means of the card is performed by 

 machinery ; but the principle of the process will be under- 

 stood from the following explanation : 



Let there be supposed to be a board with a handle attached, 

 and that in this board is fixed a great number of crooked 

 wires, all bent in one direction. These wires are then par- 

 tially filled with wool. Another board with the same kind of 

 wires or teeth is then pulled in such a manner as that its 

 teeth shall pass through amongst those of the other board. 

 By the repeated action of these two cards, the wool is broken 

 into minute fragments, which, from the curling property of 

 the wool referred to, hook themselves together, and are 

 formed into long rolls or cardings, which, being drawn out 

 and twisted, form the thread. 



This peculiar mode of forming the thread of woollen yarn 

 has relation to the kind of fabric to be formed, namely, 

 woollen cloth, which is a substance of a dense and close tex- 

 ture ; while the fabrics formed of worsted thread are of a 

 lighter and looser texture. The denser consistence is given 

 to the woollen cloth by means of the property termed Felting. 



The property of felting consists in a tendency of the fila- 



