SECTIONS OF FOODS AND TEXTILES. 115' 



trance of the court (the collection is now in the northeast court, occupy- 

 ing about one-half of the floor-space), the visitor first comes to the textile 

 materials used in their natural condition, such as rough barks, made 

 into ropes by Indians and primitive tribes in different countries ; esparto, 

 made into coarse mats in Spain ; palm-leaves, woven into baskets, hats, 

 etc. Then may be seen varieties of tree-down, often known as tree- 

 cotton, including the paina cf Brazil in variety, showing how the down 

 occurs in the seed-pods, and the pulu of the Sandwich Islands. These 

 materials are used, without preparation, for stuffing. Then follow va- 

 rieties of fibers extracted from stalks and leaves of plants, the coarser 

 ones used for ropes, the finer for yarns suitable for knitting and weav- 

 ing. Among these is a good series representing the ramie industry, 

 which may become of considerable importance to this country 5 collec- 

 tions of New Zealand flax, common flax, agave fibers in great variety, 

 and many others, leading up to cotton. The manufacture of cotton 

 thread is represented by a case of eight unit boxes, mounted especially 

 for the Museum by the Willimantic Linen Company, and is one of the 

 best exhibits in the series. Following cotton come fibers from the 

 animal kingdom, horse-hair, wool, and silk. 



Some attempt has been made to prepare a good display of spinning 

 and weaving appliances, but the space is too much restricted to per- 

 mit of proper display of what apparatus we have. A case is filled with 

 spinning-wheels, reels, etc., which were in use many years ago in the 

 preparation of flax, cotton, and wool yarns for hand-looms, but it is not 

 as attractive or instructive as it should be. It is interesting to com- 

 pare the primitive implements used for the same purposes in different 

 countries, examples of which are shown. For instance, there is a hand 

 reel of the present day from Siam, which is precisely like the common 

 English reel, except that in the former the cross-pieces are in one plane, 

 while in the latter they are placed at right angles. This very slight 

 change makes the English reel of a century ago far more convenient 

 to use than the one now in use in Siam. 



Among the looms may be seen some very excellent specimens from 

 various parts of the world. Perhaps the simplest are those still in use 

 by the Indians of North America, of which, however, there are several 

 varieties. In one case a fine Pimo Indian loom, collected by Dr. Edward 

 Palmer, is well shown and described. A Moqui loom is also shown, but 

 not in as good condition. Quite recently a Zuni loom was set up and 

 some weaving done upon it by the Indian girl Wawah, thus enabling 

 me to follow the successive operations and understand them better than 

 has been possible from written descriptions. A loom of the Talamanca 

 Indians, of Costa Eica, with specimens of cloth, is of interest. A loom 

 from the Ainos, of Japan, is also of special interest in connection with 

 the Indian loom, owing to certain distinguishing features in the device 

 for opening the warp for the passage of the shuttle. 



A number of photographs of the Indian girl Wawah engaged in the 



