SILKWORM GUT. 41 



soft, or break upon stretching it, it is a proof 

 that the worm has not been long enough under 

 the influence of the vinegar. When the gut is 

 fit to draw out, the one end of it is to be dipped 

 into the vinegar and the other end is to be 

 stretched gently to the proper length. When 

 thus drawn out it must be kept extended on a 

 thin piece of board, by putting its extremities into 

 slits in the end of the wood (see Plate V, Nos. 

 1 and 2) or fastening them to pins and then ex- 

 posed in the sun to dry ; in this manner the best 

 gut is made in Spain. From the manner in 

 which it is dried the ends are always more or 

 less compressed or attenuated. Fig. 2 a is the 

 silkworm ; b, the worm torn asunder ; c c, the 

 guts ; d d, a board slit at the ends with the gut 

 to dry ; //, boards with wooden pegs for the same 

 purpose. The before-going description is taken 

 from Ure's ' Dictionary of Arts/ &c., 1860. The 

 largest importer of silkworm gut is Mr. R. Harri- 

 son, of Redditch, who will furnish any amount of 

 any quality that can be required. 



