Raising Silk.—Silk Machinery. 
reared it at a profit and is preparing to extend the busi¬ 
ness largely next season. 
The specimen of raw or reeled silk denominated as 
second-best by the committee, is marked No. 1221, and 
is a larger parcel than the last mentioned, made from 
the Peanut cocoons but not as well reeled; it is, how¬ 
ever, deserving of notice. The cocoons exhibited with 
the same parcel, are badly selected, having among them 
a large number of dupions if these were reeled toge- 
gether, as is very probable, the cause of unevenness of 
this silk is apparent. To show the importance of at¬ 
tention to the quality of reeled silk and the advantage 
of care in reeling, the committee have ascertained that 
the price of the article in the European market varies 
from $2 to $6 per pound, a difference entirely owing to 
the care bestowed on the production. 
There are several other parcels, inferior to the two 
above named, not deserving particular attention. 
Among the practical uses to which American raw 
silk may be usefully applied, is one discovered by Mr. 
James Hanley, harp manufacturer, which obviates a 
great objection, (heretofore considered insurmountable,) 
to that delightful instrument. In the variations of 
temperature in our climate, the harp is subject to be 
instantly unstrung, much vexation is experienced by the 
breaking of the strings and the apparent impossibility 
of finding some material, which, from its great strength 
would resist this action. The raw ungummed Ameri¬ 
can silk is that material, and harp strings are now pre¬ 
sented, No. 1086, made from it, which are acknowledged 
to be a great desideratum to the possessor of the harp, 
and are worthy of notice. 
The committee refer more particularly to the list ap¬ 
pended hereto as expressive of their opinion of the 
manufactured articles of silk exhibited at the Fair, and 
hope that their opinions thereon will coincide with that 
of the Board of Managers. 
All which is respectfully submitted, 
John C. Henderson. } 
G. M. Haywood. > Committee. 
W. A. Woodward. ) 
New York, October, 1842. 
Silk Machinery. —The Committee report, that the 
articles appear to be few in number, and the Commit¬ 
tee have found it difficult to meet the owners or agents 
to obtain from them an explanation of the merits of the 
several machines exhibited, and from their not being in 
operation, it is difficult if not impossible for the Com¬ 
mittee to give such an opinion as will aid the Mana¬ 
gers in deciding, whether they are entitled to the appro¬ 
bation and rewards of the Institute. The Committee 
are however enabled to give an opinion of the follow¬ 
ing articles :— 
A Model for Feeding Silk Worms. —This to the unin¬ 
itiated would appear to possess some merit, but the 
Commissioners are impressed with the belief that 
nothing is so valuable for that purpose as simple 
shelves or tables constructed of boards, jack-planed and 
covered, if necessary, with paper. Simplicity is neces¬ 
sary to the success of the silk business, and the 
Committee advise that the Institute recommend no 
complex machinery for the feeding, for no plan - 
heretofore proposed has superseded the one above 
named, which has for its great recommendation, 
that it is precisely adapted to the purpose, and costs 
nothing for materials, as they are worth as much after 
use as before; and as there is no patent for it, the 
whole community are free to use it. 
The silk business must and will ultimately become a 
great and important branch of productive industry in 
this country, and the whole matter is as simple as 
rearing chickens, and requires no expensive fixtures. 
Feed on shelves—use proper hurdles—give them straw 
or branches to spin in—reel on the Piedmontese Reel, 
which, although in use upwards of 160 years, has not 
been excelled, and it has given the Italian silk a charac¬ 
ter above all others, as well as advanced the price 
150 per cent, above that from Bengal. Then let us en¬ 
courage American artists to produce machinery for 
winding, throwing, spinning and weaving, and from 
what American ingenuity has done, we can easily im¬ 
agine what it will do. It will give us facilities to com¬ 
pete with the pauper labor of Europe and India, and 
enable us to pay our own free labor a freeman’s price, 
and still produce our silks in large quantities for home 
consumption and exportation, but better in quality than 
those now brought from afar. 
A Silk Reel, not at all adapted for practical use. 
The silk reeled on it, if allowed to remain on the spool, 
as it is compactly laid and stiffens in that manner with 
its own gum, will in a short period become rotten and 
useless, like the cocoon, which loses half its value by 
keeping. The silk thus reeled cannot be used until 
again re-wound, and must then be first wet, which is 
an injury to the lustre. 
The Committee being practical silk culturists, are 
prepared to express a decided opinion in favor of the 
Piedmantese Reel , and this has in fact become an 
American reel by some slight improvements in the 
gearing, though retaining the principle, which is calcu¬ 
lated to give the thread evenness, roundness and lustre. 
The skein is the proper size for exportation, and 
adapted to the machinery of Europe, which will here¬ 
after be our great market for raw silk, for the Commit¬ 
tee look upon it as one of the events certain to happen, 
that this country will become a great silk producing 
country, and it should be the object of the Institute, as 
it is that of the country, to encourage the adoption of 
the simplest kind of machinery adapted to the purpose. 
With these views, the Committee cannot consent to re¬ 
commend American reels or other machinery, simply 
because they are American, and not unless they are su¬ 
perior or better adapted to the purpose than those 
now in use in other silk countries. At the same time 
they are well aware that American ingenuity is fully 
adequate to invent and produce the kind required to 
meet the wants of the country, as soon as our farmers 
will produce the raw material. 
The Committee are of opinion that the great deside¬ 
ratum in the silk business, simplicity, cannot be attain¬ 
ed by the adoption of such machines as combine diffe¬ 
rent principles, including the reeling, throwing, and 
spooling process in one—as it is certain that neither 
can be well done, and the effect of adopting such ma¬ 
chinery will be to prevent American silk from taking 
its grade of number one, among the silks of the world, 
to which it is entitled. 
The reeler, to make the best quality of reeled silk, 
has constant and full employment with an assistant to 
turn the reel; what folly then, to expect that one per¬ 
son should reel, wind, twist, double, and spool the silk, 
and also turn the reel at the same time ! The result 
of such an attempt is an inferior article, and the sneers 
at American sewing silk continue to be well founded. 
Now it is found that well reeled American silk, (some 
of which is exhibited at this Fair,) is fully equal to the 
best Italian, which in the English market is worth from 
$5 50 to $6 per pound, and would even now pay the 
producer at least 100 per cent profit for exportation. 
What is the difference if this silk is badly reeled ? W hy, 
it would sell in the same market for about the same 
price which it cost to produce it here, viz : $2 per 
pound ! this is now the price of some of the Bengal 
silk in the English market. 
The English have become satisfied of the cause o/ 
