The warp and the weft should be as much as possible each spun from the same specimen.
Numerous complaints are raised against the manufacturers of reeds and against the weavers; the latter do not give sufficient attention to the weaving, and some of them use fraudulent means. Thus the reeds have sometimes not the sufficient number of teeth; again, sometimes one part of the web is well, and another badly woven, with, as regards the number of threads and the workmanship. Frauds of this kind are pointed out at nearly every market; they were formerly punished by regulations of police, but these preventive measures exist but in a few of the markets, and there incompletely. It would be well that the municipal administrations, who have public markets of linen, would revive them vigorously to give again confidence to the trade. We will, hereafter, give the details of these old laws. The measure to be taken relative to the regulations for the weaving are under the consideration of the direction of the committee and the consul general; they are seeking means to put a stop to the fraudulent manufactures which unfortunately have been numerous of late years, and which would end, after having ruined the commerce, by entirely destroying the manufacture, and taking away from the country an important source of occupation and existence.
It is still complained of some weavers that they neglect the care of cleanliness: they should bear in mind that cloth stained with oil, or of which the warp has been dressed with any greasy substance, as is commonly the case, cannot be perfectly bleached.
Another complaint against many weavers is, that they use pumice stone to give a gloss to the cloth, not remarking that it injures it considerably.
In Germany they do not employ mill spun yarn, it is there considered that it can only produce bad cloth.
It is quite necessary to improve the construction of the looms; when a loom is straight and well placed, a woman can manage it as easily as a man. With a good loom more work can be done per day. The most essential part to observe is, that the part which drives the weft should be always horizontal. Soon each of the District Committee will have a loom on a new model, so that they may show it to all the weavers. The director of the committee has caused some looms to be brought from Bielefield, he is, at the same time, engaged in improving the one in general use, which he thinks is defective in many parts. On this subject the District Committee are requested to assist the director by sending from their respective districts a dexterous mechanic to give his opinion on the proposed improvements.
For the sizing of the warp, the Germans use a paste made of flour, the same as we do. In general they employ rye flour for plain linen, but very carefully sifted. For fancy or damask cloth they use wheat flour. We may again remark that they pay great attention to the sifting, so that no seed may be in the paste. The work-rooms should be suitable to the quality of the work, better lit and consequently more airy. The workmen have every thing to gain in preserving a precious health for their family; a robust man can do more work than an invalid. In Germany the work-rooms contain four looms with ease, and are lit by glass windows the same as the shops in our towns. We remind all that when a work-room is well arranged, and when everything is in its place, the work is done with more perfection, more regularity, and, finally, with more economy.
BLEACHING.
The Germans pay great attention to the first washing of the linen, in which they use a fluted beetle, fixed so as to rub the cloth, without striking it or bruising it too rudely. They shun all chemical agents, they use water from the purest sources, and constantly renew it. The sizing is effected with a starch, made at Cologne. We brought a sample of it, which we keep for the inspection of all; it is thought to be of a better quality than ours; and I am inclined to believe, that it is to the superior starch that the German linens owe their silky gloss. The drying is effected in lofts, well constructed and spacious, where the cloth is protected as well from the sun as from the rain. They employ rollers for stretching and turning the linen, which make every movement easy. We desire to see our bleachers imitate the Germans in the care which they bestow on the details of the operations which we have just examined.