444 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



the Londou Crystal Palace. By referring to this catalogue of articles 

 there, it will stand corrected. Our dealers in silk goods, control the 

 fashion of some of the fabrics imported. We prepare the styles of ribbons, 

 &c., here, send them out to Europe, and a lucky hit, in point of style in a 

 ribbon, often makes a little fortune to the merchant of styles. These styles 

 are all invented between Canal street and the Battery. Female designers 

 have been employed to invent new styles, but they are found not to be per- 

 severing enough. As to silk, 12 pounds weight of cocoons leave us but one 

 pound of silk ; there is, therefore, great waste. 



Mr. Butler spoke of cotton fabrics and the pftwer of climate and weather 

 over the loom. Moist air is absolutely necessary in weaving cotton goods. 



Mr. Yeeder spoke of the durability of our fabrics. We sometimes spin 

 our threads too hard, then size them too much, which also causes the thread 

 to form net, which weakens the cloth. We singe the net to get a good sur- 

 face for printing, which causes the cloth to look fine and good. Shoddy 

 can be partly employed with advantage as to the appearance of the cloth. 

 Mr. Veeder explained the manufacture of worsted thread, wool and cotton 

 to look all like wool. The English manufacturers are perfected by the 

 succession of sons to fathers in one line of operation. Large mills gradually 

 grow up with the perfection of groat experience. Our email mills must 

 gradually be absorbed by large ones. 



Mr. Tillman exhibited the samples of silk of the Indies, belonging to the. 

 American Institute. 



Dr. Reuben.' — The cloth cannot be changed by immersion in any chemi- 

 cal matter, with a view to render it more durable. But perhaps some pro- 

 cess, analogous to the modern paper parchment, may be applied to cloth 

 for strength and durability. If so, strength and durability of cotton cloth 

 will be many times doubled. 



Mr. Tillman doubted any general improvement in the durability of cloth. 

 The Egyptians, for ages, made cloth and wore it out, so do we ; fibre haa 

 but limited strength in any form of wearing* 



" Gold" was selected by the Polytechnic for the next subject. 



Mr. Seely observed that the efforts to hardimenlize cloth had failed; 

 that the paper process cannot be applied to cloth ; and that chloride of 

 zinc will not render cloth even uninflammable permanently, because the ordi- 

 nary washing requisite for apparel, wilL wash it all out. Besides, the 

 cloth, charged with chloride of zinc, will absorb moisture, and be damp. 

 He also stated that ammoniate of copper will answer, to some extent, in 

 rendering cloth incombustible. 



The Association adjourned. 



H. MEIGS, Secretary. 



