hat has been done, and
this has really necessitated the application of machinery, for hand
work could not possibly cope with the amount of dyeing now done.
Consequently there has been devised during the past two decades a
great variety of machines for dyeing every description of textile
fabrics, some have not been found a practical success for a variety of
reasons and have gone out of use, others have been successful and are
in use in dye-works.

#Hand Dyeing.#--Dyeing by hand is carried on in the simplest possible
appliances, much depends upon whether the work can be done at the
ordinary temperature or at the boil. Figure 10 shows round and oval
tubs and a rectangular vat much in use in dye-houses. These are (p. 041)
made of wood, but copper dye-vats are also made, these may be used
for all kinds of material--loose fibre, yarns or cloth. In the case of
loose fibre this is stirred about either with poles or with rakes,
care being taken to turn every part over and over and open out the
masses of fibre as much as possible in order to avoid matting or
clotting together. In the case of yarns or skeins, these are hung on
sticks resting on the edges of the tub or vat. These sticks are best
made of hickory, but ash or beech or any hard wood that can be worked
smooth and which does not swell much when treated with water may be
used. The usual method of working is to hang the skein on the stick,
spreading it out as much as possible, then immerse the yarn in the
liquor, lift it up and down two or three times to fully wet out the
yarn, then turn the yarn over on the stick and repeat the dipping
processes, then allow to steep in the dye-liquor. This is done with
all the batch of yarn that is to be dyed at a time. When all the yarn
has been entered into the dye-bath, the first stickful is lifted out,
the yarn turned over and re-entered in the dye-liquor; this operation
is carried out with all the sticks of yarn until the wool has become
dyed of the required depth. In the case of long rectangular vats it is
customary for two men, one on each side of the vat, to turn the yarns,
each man taking charge of the yarn which is nearest to him.

[Illustration: Fig. 10.--Dyeing-tubs and Vat.]

Woven goods may be dyed in the tub or vat, the pieces being drawn in
and out by poles, but the results are not altogether satisfactory, (p. 042)
and it is preferable to use machines for dyeing piece goods.

[Illustration: Fig. 11.--Dye-vat with St