530 Transactions of the American Institute. 



wool, the retraction of the fiber must be difficult and in most cases 

 impossible. 



" If to this, the serrations, is added the curved form which the fiber 

 of the wool naturally assumes, and the well-known fact that these 

 curves differ in the most striking degree in different breeds according 

 to the fiber, and when multiplying in a given space increase both the 

 means of entanglement and the difficulty of disengagement, the whole 

 mystery of felting is unraveled. A cursory glance will discover the 

 proportionate number of curves, and the microscope has now estab- 

 lished a connection between the closeness of the curves and the num- 

 ber of the serrations. • The Saxon wool is remarkable for the close 

 packing of its little curves ; the number of serrations is 2,720 in an 

 inch. The Southdown wool has numerous curves, but evidently 

 much fewer than the Saxon and Merino, and the serrations 2,080. 

 In the Leicester the wavy curls are so far removed from each other 

 that a great part of the fiber would be dissipated under the operation 

 of the card, and the serrations are 1,860 ; and in some of the wools, 

 which warm the animal bnt were not intended to clothe the human 

 body, the curves are more distant and the serrations are not more 

 than 480. The wool-grower, the stapler and the manufacturer can 

 scarcely wish for better guides. 



u Yet there is no organic connection between the curves and serra- 

 tion ; the serrations are not the cause of the curve, nor do the curves 

 produce serrations; the connection is founded on the grand principle 

 that the works of nature are perfect. The curves of the smooth fiber 

 might entangle to a considerable degree, but some of the points would 

 be continually unraveling and threatening the disssolution of the 

 whole felt. It is by the curved form of the fiber that the object can 

 be accomplished certainly and perfectly." 



Tou will readily perceive, gentlemen, from the general tenor of my 

 paper, that it is a fit prelude to one on the right selection and skill in 

 breeding of that class of sheep whose wool is adapted for clothing 

 purposes; and if it is your pleasure that I should prepare one, I will 

 most cheerfully do so. 



Dr. J. V. O. Smith said the paper just concluded was one of the 

 ablest ever read before the Club, and moved that the thanks of the 

 Club be tendered to its distinguished author, and that the paper be 

 requested for publication in the American Institute Transactions ; 

 which motion was seconded by several and unanimously adopted. .. 



Adjourned. 



