No. 2ia] 353 



November, it would save 25 to 30 per cent, to us and the grower. 

 In these months the days are long and warm; the steam for reeling 

 would condense less, and the silk dry easily on the reels — while in 

 ■cold weather it will take three times the time to dry, and silk loses 

 much of its brilliancy by being taken off the reels damp. 



There are other difficulties in connection with this new business, 

 as teaching hands to reel well, which is an important part, and to 

 teach them to wind the silk quickly and without waste — keeping in 

 mind that we have to work against countries which have the expe- 

 rience of a thousand years in the silk manufacture and trade, against 

 us. We have also to teach our girls to weave, for the manner in 

 which this is done with silk, is different from that of cotton and 

 woolen goods; in our 36 inch power-loom handkerchiefs, we have 

 50 dents per inch in the reel, and about 3,600 threads; while in 

 brown muslins they have 18 to 20 dents per inch. We go about 80 

 lo 90 shoots per inch, they perhaps 40 to 50 per minute. 



To return. I must again say, if the silk growers will bring us 

 their cocoons in proper time, and cure them well, our two principal 

 difficulties are removed, and we shall ultimately rival any of the old 

 countries. The writer has been in the silk trade from a child; was 

 workman to Guillot and J'acquet, of Lyons, more than eight years, 

 have woven all kinds of broad silks and ribbons, and can testify that 

 no silk in the world can excel, for strength and beauty, that of well 

 reeled American manufacture. 



We have 24 hands in full employed in this factory, beside several 

 out-door hands. The proprietor of whom I have before spoken, has 

 this season purchased several choice lots of cocoons; among them 7 

 bushels from Ohio, fed on the Italian leaf; which produced 19 ounces 

 of silk to the bushel; for several days (of 11 hours,) my daughter 

 reeled a bushel per day — 20 fibres per thread. Our girls of less ex- 

 perience, average 12 and 14 oz., per day. The cocoons were new; 

 they were bought as soon as spun up, and the chrysalis not killed. 



I could state several instances of the same kind, relative to our 

 own cocoons, as well as others, all going to prove the practicabil- 

 ity of growing and reeling silk profitably. The above 7 bushels pro- 

 duced 81bs. 5 oz. silk; the cocoons, reeling, and all expenses added, 

 it cost $4,50 per lb., and was a superb article. 



i[AM. Inst.] X 



