wool.

As at present conducted, the process of a woollen factory up to certain
stages of machinery is the same as that of a cotton factory. But it will be
seen that a great deal depends on an ample supply of water of good quality.

Cloth Manufacture.--(1.) The first operation is that of sorting the wool. Each
fleece contains several qualities,--the division and arrangement requires
judgment; the best in a Silesian fleece may be worth 6s. a pound, and the
rest not worth half the money. After sorting, wools are mixed in certain
proportions.

(2.) The mixture is first soaked in a hot ley of stale urine and soap, rinsed
in cold water, and pressed between rollers to dry it.

(3.) If the cloth is to be dyed in that operation, next succeeds the
scouring. Supposing it dyed,

(4) wyllying follows, by which it is subject to the operation of the spikes
of revolving wheels, for the purpose of opening the fibres and sending it out
in a light cloud-like appearance, to where a stream of air driven through it,
clears away all impurities by a sort of winnowing process, and sends it out
in a smooth sheet.

(5.) If any impurities remain, it is hand picked.

(6.) It is laid on the floor, sprinkled with olive oil, and well beaten with
staves.

(7.) The operation of the scribbling machine follows, by which it is reduced
to a fleecy sheet and wound on rollers.

(8.) The carding machine next reduces it to hollow loose short pipes. These
are joined

(9) in the slubbing machine into a weak thread, and here we see the use of
the young hands, boys and girls, who piece one of these pipes as they are
drawn through the machine by a slow clockwork motion, bending one knee every
time as they curtsey sideways toward the machine. They earn very good wages
and look healthy; but, where the wool is dyed, what with the dye and what
with the oil, the piecers are all ready toileted to sing to a banjo; and
sometimes, with rubbing their faces with their dirty hands, they get sore
eyes.

(10.) Spinning hardens the thread.

(11.) Weaving is done by hand or by power-loom. The power-looms are becoming
more common. After weaving, it is washed in soap-water and clean water by
machinery,--then stretched on tenterhooks and allowed to dry in a smooth
extended state:

(l2) then examined for all hair and impurities to be picked off by "burlers."
After this follows

(13) fulling, or felting, which gives woollen goods that substance which
distingui