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‘FRANK LESLIE’S'NEW YORK JOURNAL.
279
The Silkworm.
The internal arrangements of silk-mills have, of
course, with the extended knowledge of machinery,
and the appliances of steam, &c., been completel
changed since Lombe’s time ; but the general prin-
ciple upon which the operations are conducted: are
similar to thé original. r
Some of the silk-mills are confined entirely to the
operation of “ throwing,” or preparing the silk for
the various purposes for which it is required, either
for. spinning, weaving, or otherwise. There are,
however, several large establishments where the
whole of the operations are effected under the same
roof, from the receiving of bales of raw silk as im-
ported, to the finishing and packing the completed
article for the market. To oneof these factories the
raw silk, as it is termed, is imported in bales, vary-
ing: in» size ‘and | weight,
according to the custom of
the country from which it
is received;:the bales of
Bengal silk, which is most-
ly .used, averaging’ about
180lbs. : in’, weight, whilst
those; of; China, do not
usually exceed: 130Ibs.
The appearance of the bales
when opened is extremely
beautiful, from the. bright
color of the silk, and also
its. glossy _ appearance.
Silk when imported varies
much in color, the: China
silk being of pure, white, t
while the Bengal is of dif-) goo of cHINA SILK.
ferent shades of. yellow,
some being extremely bright and clear. The form]
of the hank varies according to the country from
which it is received. The China silk is imported in
what are technically called ‘“ books,” of the form
shown in the engraving, each * book” averaging in
weight 9 Ibs., and containing several hanks; this
silk is frequently extremely fine, and is generally of
a peculiarly even texture throughout The form of
the hanks of the other varieties will be best under-
stood from the accompanying engravings, in which
ig. 1 shows a single hank of China silk, as taken
from the “ book,” ready for manufacture; Fig. 2, a
: . hank of Italian silk ; Fig.
3, a hank of Bengal, the
variety of silk in most
general use for manufac-
turing purposes; Fig. 4,
a hank ef Persian silk ;
and\Fig. 5, a hank of
Broussa silk, which is
nearly of the same texture
and color as the China.
Having already traced
the’ origin and history of
the silk manufacture, and
explained the processes
which the material under-
goes, from the time ‘of
ki leaving the cocoon of the
~ silkworm to its importa-
. Fig: 1. . tion into this countey, we
will proceed‘now to trace the silk through the pro-
gress of its: preparation for the branches of manu-
facture for which it is intended. .
As each part of a factory is connected with the
other portions, we may as well just mention that
here, as in many other similar establishments, the
‘buildings are ranged on the four sides of a spacious
yard; the end adjoining the river in this one being
occupied: by the steam-engine, the boiler-house, the
smiths’ and carpenters’ shops, and other offices.
‘From the steam-engine sbafting is catried to each
‘room in the different mills, to which
‘gearing is attached forthe working
‘of- the machinery, ‘and pipes are
\also carried into each room of the
|factories and warehouse, which are
|kept heated by the steam-engine;
\thus, the whole motive power and
heating. of the. various floors and
yooms ‘of *the: entire establish-
_ment, as well as some of the opera ey
tions _ which: we. shall describe
|Fresently in the preparation of the
|gilk, are produced from a single _
steam-engine.: 92 5 1) 8 > £0 the od
People are apt’ at all times to associate with the
very name of.‘ factory” or mill’ extravagant
notions of closely packed rooms filled’ with machi-
nery, 80 ranged together. as-hardly to admit of the
free passage of the iarge number of people employed
iu their care, the air oppressive and vitiated, and the
SSS OSSD
se
4
Fig. 2. Fig. 3.
girls and people employed sickly, weak, and emaci-
ated in the extreme ; but if our readers were for a
few moments to follow us through the rooms of the
silk mill we are describing, or of any other.modern
structure of the kind, we could promise them that
they would leave the place with other notions of the
comfort, and, cleanliness, and ;
health of the operatives than
they had before formed. The
greater portion ofthe “hands”
(as the people employed are
called) ina silk mill are
women and girls, though in
some processes boys and men
are occupied, and the work is
comparatively light to that
conducted in the cotton, and
some other description of
mills.
When the bale of silk is
unbound, the hanks are un-
twisted and opened by women
employed for that purpose,
and then carried to the boiling
house, where they are well
soaked. in a strong solution
of soap, heated to within a few degrees of boiling
by the agency of the steam-engine. The operations
of soaking is carried on in large zinc-lined vats pre-
pared for the purpose ; by it the gummy or glutinous
matter which attaches the threads of silk together
are removed, and the texture of the
silk itself considerably softened. After
having remained in soak for several
hours, the silk is carefully removed
to-a ywerful machine, called a
hydro-extractor, where all the fluid
is immediately removed from it ; this
operation leaves the silk ina fit state
for the next process, that of winding.
On being carried up from the boiling
house, the hanks of silk are hung on
the “silk rails,” as long bars of wood
pendant from the ceiling, are called,
and their appearance, from their
brilliancy of the color and the light,
soft texture of the material, is ex-
tremely beautiful.
Fig. 4.
lo aperrene -
Perseverance Rewarded.
A youna peasant one day on returning to his vil-
lage from Sion, a heavy fall of snow, about the be-
ginning of October, met him on his toilsome ascent ;
he reached at length a rock from which he could see
his own chalet, but in its stead nothing appeared but
a frightful mass of snow heaps, beneath which his
house, his wife, and their only child were doubtless
engulphed. At first he was overwhelmed with des-
pair, and threw himself on the rocks in a state of
stupor; but presently the light of hope broke upon
him—he started ree and rushed to the still uninjured
cottage of one of his neighbors, whose assistance he
entreated; several others joined with them, and
together, armed with pickaxes and spades, they set to
work with the view of disengaging the devoted
family from the overwhelming wreck. It required
both strength and resolution, and the friends worked
till night with ardor. The young man was then left
alone; he continued to labor without ceasing, and at
daybreak his companions returned; the second day
ended without result, but despair gave the husband
fresh vigor, in spite of his fearful disappointment.
A third day he toiled on, and at last, to his unspeak-
able rapture, he discovered the roof of his dweiling,
and through an aperture for the smoke he perceived
his wife sitting by the light of a lamp watching her
infant, who was being at the moment suckled by a
goat. His cries of joy were soon responded to, and
the story of deliverance was soon told. A large
tock behind ‘the chalet had forced the avalanche
which had descended, to take another direction, and
all beneath the roof, to the last of his flock, were
saved. His resolute perseverance was rewarded,
and the pair became the objects of congratulation to
the whole district. When one sees the position of|
these villages, one is not astonished at any of these
histories, which however have seldom go fortunate
an ending as this.
Gortux has remarked that some books appear'to
be written for the purpose; of : showing that. the
authors’ know something of the subjects on -which
they write, rather than for the instruction of the
readers, . ; poe
New Zearanp Surerstition.—To realise a know-
ledge of these superstitions as they now exist, I
went with a New Zealander toa hut inhabited by,
an old: woman. celebrated for her intercourse with
spirits. .'This Pythoness, after, smoking. a. short
black pipe, removed all the blazing sticks from the
re, 80 as to obscure the light, partially, and then
sat quite still. The two slave women, who up to
this time had gone on with their work, now ceased
to ply their fingers, laid their baskets down quietly,
and also sat still without speaking. For a while
we all observed a complete silence; but no strange
sound was heard. At length, Tuakaraina began to
show symptoms of impatience. He quitted his
seat by me, and took the opposite side of. the fire,
near the old lady, where he stretched himself at full
length, with his face to the ground, and called on™
the Atua by name, |** Why are you so. long in
coming?” he shouted angrily. Are you at Wai-
katg, or where else at a distance, that you come not
quickly?” The flame.of the fire had.by this time
gone out, and the embers alone gave a dim light.
It was, however, sufficient to enable me to distin-
guish the persons in the hut. They all sat except
‘Tuakaraina, who, rolling himself on his belly,
ceased not to call on his gods with great energy.
The sight was strange and unexpected, and, at the
moment, mude a great impression on me. In spite
of my better judgment, involuntary fancies would
intrude on my imagination. Was it oaly a mere
juggle I was about to witness? Might there not
be more things in heaven and earth than were
dreamt of in man’s philosophy? These specula-
tions were suddenly interrupted by a sound, as if
something heavy had fallen on the roof of the hut;
and then a rustling noise, just as might be made by
a rat, crept along the thatch till it stopped just over
our heads, The old woman covered her head and
face in her blanket, and bent herself up, nearly
double, her head resting on her knees, And 'im-
mediately from the spot where the rustling noise
had ceased issued sounds imitative of a voice, but
whistled instead of being articulated in ordinary
tones. The old lady was detected practising a sort
of ventriloquism, by. uttering a squeak, which
seemed to come from a lizard on the roof. But no
mystery of Egypt could have been more solemnly
enacted,
A Hinpoo.—Let us take a specimen from’ this
living mass of a hundred millions, and see in what
he believes for this world and the next. Stand
forth, educated Hindu! This man is of the highest
caste—compared with other mortals he is of the
finest porcelain, they of the densest brown earthen-
ware, His white muslin robes set off his small
figure well—his head-dress, a neat roll of the same
material, is becoming and picturesque. | Outwardly,
there is nothing to complain of; the tint of the skin
is pleasing, not too dark, merely a tinge of brown, |
a slight tinge, that harmonizes well with the glare
around, affording an agreeable relief for the vision. ,
Were it paler, like that of the Chinaman or, the
European, it would appear sickly to the eye accus--.
tomed to the darker livery. ILis small: hands and
feet might be envied by many a beauty in England;
they are delicate, neatly-formed, eminently feminine
in their proportions. The English beauty would
not envy the color, the light-brown tint, but all the
Kalydors and washes of London or Paris will never
make her hand of that shape, nor will they give it
that delicacy of touch, and smoothness. of external
surface, which are natural to his.. The countenance,
too, is rather a pleasing one. Examine each feature
in detail, and you will find. that they are well put
together; that eyes, nose, mouth, and chin, are ad-
mirably chiseled, yes, that’s the phrase —all° the
features of a man’s face are chiselled now-a-days,
not well-formed, or in proportion, but “admirably
chiselled.—Stoffern’s ** India.” 5 :
Tus Crooxrp Sixrencr.—A bent’ coin is often
given in the West of England for luck. A crooked
sixpence is usually selected by careful grand.
mothers, aunts, and uncles, to bestow as the **han-
selling” of a new purse. The following extract,
from the Acts and Monuments of John Foxe; illus-
trates the practice; it occurs in the relation of the
martyrdom of Alice Benden at Canterbury, 1527 :—
« When she was at the stake, she cast-her handker- °
chief unto one John Banks, requiring him to keep
the same in memory of her; and from about’ her
middle she took a white lace, which she gave to her
keeper, desiring him to give the same to her brother,
Roger Hall, and to tell him that it was the last band
she was bound with, except the chain. - A shilling
also, of Phillip and Mary, she took forth, which her
. He who receives a good turn should never forget
it; he who does one should never remember it:
,
father had bowed and eent her when she was first
*. |sent to prison,” &c.—Notes and Queries.
‘
