r the high price it commands in English and
American markets. The wool used is a fine grade of Cape or Australian,
which is the most suitable in texture and length of fiber. The silk is
unweighted Chinese organzine. The result is a rich, handsome fabric
resembling whole silk goods in appearance, but inferior to them in
durability and produced at a much less cost. It is used for ladies'
waists, wraps, and gowns.

=Figured Poplin.= A stout variety, ornamented in the loom with
figures. The ground is composed of clear, sharp cords extending across
the web. It is sometimes woven entirely of silk, but oftener of silk
and wool. Used for high-class upholstery purposes, and for curtains
and hangings.

=Terry Poplin.= A silk and wool dress fabric in the construction of
which the alternate warps are thrown upon the surface in the form of
minute loops.

=Sarsenet.= A thin, soft-finished silk fabric of a veiling kind, now
used as millinery lining. The name comes from the Arab Saracens, who
wore it in their head-dress.

=Satin.= When satin first appeared in trade in Southern Europe it was
called _aceytuin_. The term slipped through early Italian lips into
_zetain_, and coming westward the _i_ was dropped, and smoothed itself
into satin. There is evidence that the material was known as early as
the fourteenth century in England, and probably in France and Spain
previous to that time, though under other names.

In the weaving of most silk fabrics the warp and filling intersect
each other every alternate time (as in plain weaving), or every third
or fourth time (as in ordinary twill weaving) in regular order; but in
weaving satin the fine silk warp only appears upon the surface, the
filling being effectually covered up and hidden. Instead of making the
warp pass under and over the filling every alternate time, or over two
or three filling threads in regular order, it is made to pass over
eight, ten, twelve or more filling threads; then under one and over
eight more, and so on. In passing over the filling, however, the warps
do not interweave at regular intervals, which would produce a twill,
but at irregular intervals, thus producing an even, close, smooth
surface, and one capable of reflecting the light to the best
advantage. The filling of low grade satin is generally cotton, while
in the better goods it is silk. Common satin is what is technically
known as an eight-leaf twill, the order in which the filling thread
rises being