an industrial art. It
remained one of the few manual handicrafts, while yet serving as the
base of a great and staple industry of worldwide importance.

There is every reason to suppose that we are about to witness a
transformation in the art of silk reeling, a change similar to that
which has already been brought about in the spinning of other threads,
and of which the consequences will be of the highest importance. For
some years past work has been done in France in developing an
automatic silk-reeling machine, and incomplete notes concerning it
have from time to time been published. That the accounts which were
allowed to reach the outer world were incomplete will cause no
surprise to those who know what experimental work is--how easily and
often an inventor or pioneer finds himself hampered by premature
publication. The process in question has now, however, emerged from
the experimental state, and is practically complete. By the courtesy
of the inventor we are in a position to lay before our readers an
exact analysis of the principles, essential parts, and method of
operation of the new silk-reeling machine. As silk reeling is not
widely known in England, it will, however, be well to preface our
remarks by some details concerning the cocoon and the manner in which
it is at present manufactured into raw silk, promising that if these
seem tedious, the labor of reading them will be amply repaid by the
clearer understanding of the new mechanical process which will be the
result.

The silkworm, when ready to make its cocoon, seeks a suitable support.
This is usually found among the twigs of brush placed for the purpose
over the trays in which the worms have been grown. At first the worm
proceeds by stretching filaments backward and forward from one twig to
another in such manner as to include a space large enough for the
future cocoon. When sufficient support has thus been obtained, the
worm incloses itself in a layer of filaments adhering to the support
and following the shape of the new cocoon, of which it forms the
outermost stratum. After having thus provided a support and outlined
the cocoon, the worm begins the serious work of constrution. The
filament from its silk receiver issues from two small spinnarets
situated near its jaws. Each filament, as it comes out, is coated with
a layer of exceedingly tenacious natural gum, and they at once unite
to form a single flattened thread, the two parts lying side by side.