Silk Made from Wood-fibre.—A new process of making silk has just been put on the market, and if it is as successful as is claimed for it, silk may soon be as cheap as cotton.
The secret was discovered by a Frenchman, but it was no accidental discovery—he only achieved his success after forty years of patient study.
This Frenchman, Count Hilaire de Cordonnet, had watched and studied the work of the silkworm, and had long thought that there ought to be some simpler process of spinning silk than the tedious and complicated method employed by the worms.
The Count had noticed the preference silkworms have for the leaves of the mulberry and osage-orange trees, and, after experimenting with these plants for some time, he decided that if he could reduce them to pulp and treat them in certain ways, the result would be silk-fibre. But the result was not altogether satisfactory. He found that something was wanting to make his silk like that the silkworm produced.
He studied their work again, and found that they covered the fibre with a kind of gum, which gave it gloss and strength.
After years of patient study he discovered the materials of which this gum was composed, and then made another trial to see whether he had not learned the secret at last.
By the aid of machines he tore the plants bit from bit, until they were reduced to pulp, just as the insect reduced the leaves in the process of eating and swallowing.
He then added the gum, and with the aid of more machinery spun out the threads of fibre, imitating the methods of the insect as closely as possible.
This time the experiment proved a great success. His fibre silk was as strong, as glossy, and as brilliant as the silkworm silk, and had one advantage over it, that when woven into breadths it did not crease so readily.
New Car.—Here is a new form of street car which is interesting.