286 On the Manufacture of Silk. 



counsellor, and member of the Philosophical Society of Philadel- 

 phia, who has openly and warmly embarked in the cause of silk and 

 as an antagonist of the Pennsylvania Silk Society.* This young gen- 

 tlemen's essays are almost all analysed by our author who unquestiona- 

 bly reposes great confidence in all that he teaches. His work is con- 

 fined to the filature of silk, until it is prepared and made up for 

 different weavers and looms. The first error which he wished to 

 correct we suppose, was the practice of directing their whole labor 

 to the art of making Sewing Silk with the best of the materials ; 

 a losing concern indeed, and which Dr. Pascalis points out, in 

 his first volume, (p. 32.) When speaking of the quantity of silk 

 raised by the people of three counties in Connecticut, he says, 

 " that he regretted their employing and turning their best silk in- 

 to sewing silk, which in the manufactories of Europe is always 

 made up with the refuse silk of the nurseries from the process- 

 es of filature." This sound principle M. D'Homergue has en- 

 deavored to illustrate and to inculcate upon our own culturists, by 

 giving besides a practical and technical description of all the pro- 

 gressive operations ; in which they have indeed great need to be in- 

 structed. A great profit is lost to the country, besides the compe- 

 tent additional labor on the produce ; since a large quantity of sewing 

 silk neither is, nor can be, disposed of in market, except in the way 

 of trade and exchange for dry goods 5 and on such terms as seldom 

 reach a value equal to that of the same quantity in weight of a plain, 

 properly reeled Raw Silk. This is always, and every where, rated 

 at a sterling price, according to its quality and degree of beauty ; 

 and, moreover, succeding progress in acquiring practical skill in the 

 preparation of singles, organzines, and of tram, is prevented, and so 

 much towards the manufacturing process is indefinitely delayed. 

 The culture of silk is not therefore prosecuted by a sufficient num- 

 ber of candidates ; because they neither hear of, nor see purchasers 

 enough from abroad, either of raw silk, or of perfect or imperfect 

 cocoons ; and the culture of silk is now, and long will remain in a 

 languishing state, until we change our method, and pursue a more 

 judicious plan. The succeeding essays of Mr. D'H, admirably well 

 composed and drawn up, relate, however, only to the above and other 

 operations of the filature, which seldom or never can be associated 



^ It is well known that some legal difficulties exist between this gentleman and 

 the Phil. Silk Socielv. 



