INGENUITY AND LUXURY 



This, in brief, is the process of modern spinning. 

 It is subject to many modifications, however, and the 

 machinery used is so complicated that it is difficult to 

 understand from any description, even if fully illus- 

 trated. Probably an account of how the various 

 machines were developed will convey a better idea 

 than a detailed description of the machines themselves 

 in their present complicated form. Before we turn to 

 this, however, we must examine briefly the processes 

 by which that other chief textile-material, wool, is pre- 

 pared for the spinner. 



PREPARATION OF WOOL FOR SPINNING 



Though certain breeds of sheep produce far superior 

 wool to others, not all the wool of any sheep is of first- 

 grade quality. In fact, the best fleece of any sheep 

 comes from a narrow strip along either flank of the 

 animal, extending from just in front of the shoulder 

 to a point in front of the hip. From this finest quality 

 of wool, coming from the side of the animal, there is 

 a gradual falling off in quality toward the other parts of 

 the body, until the product about the head and legs 

 becomes so coarse and stiff that it is more like hair 

 than wool. 



An important part of the wool-manufacturing in- 

 dustry is the sorting or stapling, separating the wool 

 into lots of uniform quality. This work is done by 

 skilled workmen who have learned by long experience 

 to determine almost instinctively the exact quality of 

 each bunch of wool handled. The stapler usually 



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