alico= takes its name from Calicut, a city in India, where cloth was
first printed. The majority of inexpensive cotton fabrics are
constructed on the one up, one down system, or plain weave. Calico is
no exception to this rule. The printed designs on calicoes may be
somewhat elaborate or they may be simple geometrical figures. In
order, however, to comply with the true principles of art, such
fabrics as calicoes should have but simple geometrical figures for
their ornamental features. New styles and combinations of colors are
produced every month and faster and lighter color printed each season.
Most of the designs for calicoes and cotton cloth printing are made in
Paris. At present the steam styles are most prominent; they are the
fastest and lightest to be obtained. Calico is a printed cloth, the
printing being done by a printing machine which has a rotating
impression cylinder on which the design has been stamped or cut out.
The cloth in passing through the machine comes in contact with the
impression cylinder. The cylinder revolving in a color trough takes up
the color and leaves the impression of the design on the cloth.
Calicoes may be seen in almost any color. The printing machine is
capable of printing several colors in one design. Calicoes, however,
are usually in two colors, that is, one color for ground and the other
for figure. The ground color in most cases is effected by dyeing the
cloth in some solid color. After the cloth is dyed the design is
printed on it. The cloth, after it comes from the loom, is singed and
bleached, then sheared and brushed to take away all the lint, and then
sent to the dye house. The first process there is to boil it, after
which it is immersed in the dye tub. Calicoes are usually given what
may be termed a "cheap cotton dye." By "cheap cotton dye" is meant
that the colors are not fast, but will run or fade when subjected to
water. After the fabric is dyed, it is given to the printer, who
ornaments the face of the cloth with some geometrical design; then it
is practically ready for the merchant. After printing, the cloth is
dried and steamed to fix the color, afterwards soaped, washed,
finished, and folded. The printing machine turns out about 400 to 800
fifty-yard pieces a day. Calico is used for inexpensive dresses,
shirtwaists, wrappers, etc.

=Cambric.= Cambric is a heavy, glazed cotton fabric with a smooth
finish. It was first made in Cambrai, France. It has a plain weave
a