m 



NEW" ENGLAND FARMER. 



From the ^'e^/-Vork Statesman. 



TO nOOLLEX MA^■UFACTVRERS. 



1 beg leave to inform you that a bed of ex- 

 cellent rullers' Earth has been, discovered on 

 the margin of the Nortii River, in the State of 

 New York. A? tltis article has ever been con- 

 sidered a a:ranil desideratum in the Woollen 

 Manufacture, I congratulate you on the discov- 

 ery, and moro particularly thai it is owned by 

 an individual who possesses so much liberality 

 as to offer it for sale in this city,* at the same 

 price it is sold at in the manufacturing districts 

 in England — thus placing you, so tar as this ar- 

 ticle is concerned, on a par with European man- 

 ufacturers. 



As it is presumed you are mostly unacquaint- 

 ed with its use and value, I have, for your 

 information, added a statement of the mode of 

 applying it, and the advantages to be derived 

 therefrom. 



You must be aware that Fullers' Earth is the 

 only material with which coloured cloth ought 

 to be cleansed, as v.ell black as blue ; and that 

 before cloth is coloured in the piece, it is abso- 

 lutely necessary to use this article to prepare 

 it to receive the dye. You may not, however, 

 be equally aware that the superiority of the 

 colors imported from Europe, are in a great de- 

 iCree attributable to their using this earth, after 

 the manner hereinafter described. 



Fullers' Earth, when dry, if good, should be 

 .smooth and slippery like soap : It sliould not 

 perl'ectly dissolve iu water, but when immersed 

 in that fluid in a dry state, it falls so as to as- 

 sume the appearance of suds, and on rubbing 

 the hands with it in this state, it ought to be free 

 from grit and perfectly smooth. Its use on 

 cloth, is tirst to clean all the =oap and grease out 

 after braying and before fulling-, and to cleanse 

 the color and soap out at'ter fulling. In color- 

 ing of cloth it is ever used to prepare it for the 

 dye, and to cleanse the color after dyeing. 

 Earth is not only the best agent with which to 

 perform these operations, but what is equally 

 important, it is the cheapest of any, as it will be 

 sold at one dollar per one hundred pounds. 

 On cleansing nf cloih previous to and after dyeing, 



Many of the minor operations in a factory, 

 which those who are not well versed in the 

 business are apt to neglect as of little or no con- 

 r-equence, have an important bearing on the 

 well-being of the whole. Such are the opera- 

 tions I am nor.- about to describe ; and I am sor- 

 ry to have to observe that they are too general- 

 ly neglected in this country. I must remark 

 (and it cannot be too forcibly impressed) that to 

 clean cloth well from grease and other extrane- 

 ous matter, previous to dyeing, is a necessary 

 preliminary to the proiluction of good colors, 

 Jmd to cleanse them well al"terwards, is equally 

 necessary to llio maintenance oi' the manufactu- 

 rer's rej)utai!oii. 



Blue, Idack, and other dark colors, arc steam- 

 ed before they are carried to the fulling mill; 

 they arc then taken to the stocks ;.nd washed 

 under the hammer-( until the water runs clear 

 from tliem. when they are taken out and hung 

 tipon long wooden pegs (placed in the walls of 

 the building) till the following day ; they are 



* 'Ihc bed from -(vhicli Ihc rarlh is olilaiued, is own- 

 ed by .Mr. Clirystlf, ot'KisliUill-l.niulinj, and is sold by 

 a per'on of the snmcuamc, wlu) keeps au carthern-'ware 

 (Store ia Maidcnhmc- 



then taken down, spread open, and wet Fuller's 

 Earth thrown all over the face ; the lists are 

 now thrown together, and they are carefully 

 placed in the stocks, which arc plugged up, and 

 the hammers let doiTn,and permitted to play on 

 the cloth, without water, for half an hour or 

 forly minutes ; the cloth is then handed out, the 

 lists pulled square, and the earth spread even on 

 the cloth, and more Earth added if noccessary ; 

 the cloth is then put again into the stock?, and 

 the hammers suffered to play upon it one or two 

 hours, after which a small quantity of water is 

 let run into the stocks; not more than would pass 

 j through a large wheatcn straw, for one hour, in 

 I order that the Earth may be diluted slowly and 

 I by degrees. After that, the cloth is once more 

 j handed out, the lists pulled square, then put 

 again into the stock*, and the plug pulled out, 

 when a suflicicnt quantity of water is introduced 

 to make it perfectly clear. During the last op- 

 eration, it is to be from time to time handed out, 

 in order to prevent its taking a wrong position 

 in the stocks, and being torn. 



The water that comes out of the stocks shows 

 whether the cloth is clean; for that which runs 

 out ought to be equally as clear as that which 

 runs in. — If on trying the cloth, you perceive it 

 still soils, it must be worked with Earth a sec- 

 ond time. River or clear rain water is the best 

 to mix with the Earth, and spring water for 

 washing it out. 



To prepare cloth for dyeing, it must be work- 

 ed with Earth as before directed, only when it 

 has gone the first half hour in the Earth, a small 

 stream of water is let run in for half an hour, 

 and then a full stream, until it is quite clean. — 

 The handings out, as before directed, must be 

 observed. Many people color their blacks af^ 

 ter fulling, without scouring with Earth ; but 

 the colors will not be so good, nor will they 

 clean so well afterwards, because there will al- 

 ways remain a portion of the soap in the cloth, 

 which washing with mere water will not detach 

 from it, and when this comes into the black li- 

 quor, or any other dye, the soap will be decom- 

 posed ; the soda will be combined with the 

 acids, and the grease being liberated, will pro- 

 duce nn effect equal to the coloring of g^easv 

 cloth. 



On cleansing of cloth from its grease in the flannel. 



In general, unrinous liquor and water are suf- 

 ficient to clean a cloth from its grease in the 

 llauuel after it is woven ; but when the wool 

 has not been properly scoured from its yolk, or 

 filth, or when the cloth has been manufactured, 

 a great while, it is necessary to add to the urine 

 a solution of Fuller's Earth, and to do it some- 

 times two, three, and even four times over, 

 notnithstnnding which it is almost ever neces- 

 sary to work such cloth twice more with Earth 

 prior to fulling ; but this is done only after it 

 has been burled. 



It is important that cloth should be thorough- 

 ly free from grease before it be fulled; for soap 

 which softens grease, but does not dissolve it, 

 form;- with it a clammy substance which adheres 

 very strongly to the cloth, and is scarcely ever 

 to be removed by anv subsequent operation. 



\Vli,^n cloth has been lulled, it has to be wash- 

 ed clean from the soap, and this app.u-enfly sim- 

 ple o;)eralion cannot be elToclujlly done with- 

 out I-'ullers' Earth. Those who have never 

 scoured wool-dyed cloth, after fulling, as the li- 

 nal operation, ra:i have no idea how much the 



beauty and intensity of the colors is thereby i| 

 proved. 



Rcing aware of the disadvantages the wooll 

 manufacturers were laboring under for want 

 good Fullers' Earth, and suspecting there mi 

 be plenty In the country, 1 last spring handed 

 paper to the editors of the Statesman, requei 

 ing samples might be sent to their office to 1 

 inspected by a person who was a judge of tl 

 article. Numerous samples were sent, ai 

 among them I consider that which is now offe 

 ed for sale, as the best. After trying it on 

 small scale, I had a box of it sent to an expe 

 enced English fuller to try it on cloth, and 1 

 pronounced it to be of a superior quality. 



The next best sample, and in fact the on 

 other one that was Fullers' Earth, was sent by 

 gentleman from Virginia. This was of exce 

 lent quality ; but between every layer thei 

 was deposited some coarse sand, that would ha 

 to be separated by solution, before the Eart 

 could be used. I am informed there is an ine 

 haustible quantity in the beds from whence tb 

 sample was taken. 



I mention this fact, to prove that there nev< 

 will be a deficiency of the article, and to infon 

 fnanufacturers that should the supply from th 

 other ever fail, I shall be ready to give them ii 

 struction (if they need it,) how to separate th 

 grit nt a very easy expense. 



Editors of papers who are desirous of promi 

 ting the manufacturing interest, are requeste 

 to give this an insertion. W. P. 



'Kc-^--York, j\ov. 20. 



FOR THE NF.W E.NGL.*ND FARMER. 



Ma. Editor, 



1 saw with no small degree of surprise an 

 regret, the Communication under the signatur 

 of ■' A Member of the Berkshire Agricultur: 

 Society," in your paper of the last week. 



Your correspondent had not a correct know 

 edge of the facts, or his good sense would, 

 trust, have placed a more favorable constructio 

 upon the feelings and principles which anima 

 ed the associated agriculturists at the Worceste 

 Cattle Show ; at least /might have relied upo 

 his justice and candor to have spared me thi 

 intrusion upon your readers. But my apolog; 

 for repeating, what must be considered as haT 

 ing too little interest, or novelty, is the duty 

 owe to the Massachusetts Society for the pro 

 motion of Agriculture, whose organ I became 

 and what is due to my own discretion ; but mon 

 especially to the Berkshire Agricultural Society 

 whose merit and exertions I highly estimate 

 and upon whose good opinion I set too high i 

 value, to submit to its silent forfeiture. I an' 

 charged in effect — first, with arraying myself a.' 

 the organ of the Society in the garb of profferet 

 compliment ; and secondly, in having forgottetl 

 the honorable distinction to which the Berkshire' 

 Society was entitled. I should blush to think 1 

 did either, and appeal to the following facts foi 

 support. 



As passing to the busy scene, it was requesteii 

 of me by my associates of the committee, that 

 if the Worcester Society should honor the Mas- . 

 sachusetts Society in a toast, that 1 should res- 

 pond thereto. Such notice xcas taken, in a man-| 

 ner highly hospitable, courteous and polite, in 

 the following toast : 



" The Massachusetts Agricultural Society — The sobI 

 which animatud " llie Heart," and which is infusins 

 life iato the extremities of the Commonwealth." I 



