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introduction of better appliances Bengal silks were shown 

 to be as capable of refinement as any other ; and Brutia 

 silk now commands, by its superior quality, the highest 

 price in the market ; and I have no doubt that, in degree, 

 equal success lies waiting for the Tusser-silk industry. 



I trust I may point to this manufacturing development 

 and great improvement with pardonable pride, more espe- 

 cially as I am not a manufacturer, and could scarcely 

 expect to find untrodden ground in a domain distinct from, 

 although allied to, my own. 



The new-reeled silk is much lighter in colour than native- 

 reeled, and has very much more lustre ; in fact, it is the 

 most lustrous in the undyed state of all silks, and pos- 

 sesses greater strength. I found, what I expected to find, 

 that the silk thus reeled dyes much more easily ; more 

 shades and lighter ones can be dyed upon it than native- 

 reeled ; it has no disagreeable smell, and only loses two 

 ounces per pound in being cleaned for dyeing, where 

 native-reeled Tusser loses in some cases as much as six 

 to seven ounces per pound, and never less than four to 

 five ounces. It is as clean, to use a technical term, which 

 means free from " slubs " and irregularities of thread, as 

 ordinary silk. The cost of reeling new and good cocoons, 

 and manufacturing them into Organzine and Tram, is 

 about seven shillings per pound ; but it would be less when 

 the collection and storing of the cocoons is better under- 

 stood, and the chrysalis more carefully killed. It is making 

 way, both all silk and in mixtures, in many fabrics where 

 extreme fineness is not required, and for a variety of pur- 

 poses, in passementerie, trimmings, braids, scarves, broad, 

 and narrow goods. It is now considerably used for these 

 purposes in France. Its price has gradually risen, whilst 

 that of other silks has either remained stationary or 

 actually depreciated. 



I have urged on the Government of India the impor- 

 tance of introducing to the natives of India the European 

 modes of reeling cocoons, and some time ago drew their 

 attention to an invention which simplifies and economises 

 this operation. 



Mr. Mackenzie, engineer, of Milan, has introduced a Milan 

 house of filateurs, who have invented and patented another 

 mode of reeling, by which skilled labour is dispensed with. 

 If this machine is pronounced by experts to be a success, 

 there is no reason why cocoon reeling should not be 

 carried on in any village home, as flax spinning was 

 formerly. Should this machine be found to be unsuitable, 



