The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1821-1823, 1822-12-18

should be smooth and sIipI cry like soap:
it should not perfectly dissolve in water,
but when immersed in that fluid in
dry state, it falls so as to assume the APP
pearance of suds, and on rubbing the
hands with it in this state, it ought 10 be
free from grit and perfectly smooth. lis
use on cloth, is first to clean all the soap
and grease out after braying and before
| fulling, and to cleanse the colour and
soap out after fulling. In colouring of
cloth it is ever used 10 prepare it for
the dye, and to cleanse the colour out
after dyeing. Earth is not only the
best agent with which TO perform these
operations, but what is equally impor-
tant, it is the cheapest of any, as it will
be sold at one dollar per one hundred
pounds.
On cleansing of cloth precious to and
offer dyeiRg.
Many of the minor operations in
! factory, which those who are not we'll
versed in the business are apt TO neg
lect as of little or no consequence, have
an important bearing on the well-being
| of the whole. Such are the operations
am now about to describe; and am
sorry TO have to observe that they are
too generally neglected in this country.
| must remark (and it cannot be too fore
IDLY impressed that to clean cloth well
from grease and other extraneous mat
ter, previous to dyeing, is IA necessary
preliminary TO the production of good
! colours, and TO cleanse them we'll after
wards, is equally necessary to the main
! tenance of the manufacturers reputation.
Blue, black, and other dark colours,
are steamed before they are carried to
the fulling-mill; they are then taken to
| the stocks and washed under the ham,
mers, until the water runs clear from
] them, when they are taken out and hung
upon long wooden pegs (pIaced in the
walls of the buildlng) till the following
day they are then taken down, spread
open, and wet Fuller's Earth thrown all
over the face the lists are now thrown
together, and they are carefully placed
in the stocks, which are plugged up. and
the hammers let down, and permitted to
play on the cloth, without water, for half
an hour or forty minutes the cloth is
then handed out, the lists pulled square,
and the earth spread even on the cloth,
and more Earth added if necessary the
cloth is then put again into the stocks,
and the hammers suffered to play upon
it one or two hours. after which small
quantity of water is let run into the
stocks; not more than would pass through
a large wheaton straw, for one hour, in
order that the Earth may be diluted
slowly and by degrees. After that, the
cloth is once more handed out, the lists
pulled square, then put again into the
stocks, aud the plug pulled out, when
sufficient quantity of water is introduce
ed to make it perfectly clear. During
the last operation, it is to be from time
to time handed out, in order TO prevent
its taking wrong position in the stocks,
and being torn.
| The water that comes out Of the
stocks shows whether the cloth is clean;
for that which runs out ought to be e.
qually as clear as that which runs in
If on trying the cloth, you perceive it
still soils, it must be worked with Earth
a second time. River or clear rain wa
ter is the best to mix with the Earth,
and spring-water for washing it cut
To prepare cloth for dyeing, it must
be worked with Earth as before direct
ed, only when it has gone the FIRST half
hour in the Earth, small stream of wa
ter is let run in for half an hour, and
then full stream, unit! it is quite clean.
The landings out, as before directed,
must be observed. Many people colour
their blacks after fuIling, without scour-
ing with Earth but be colours will not
be so good, nor will they clean so well
afterwards, because there will always
remain portion of soap in the cloth,
| which washing with mere water will
not detach from it, and when this comes
into the black liquor, or any other dye,
the soap will be decomposed the soda
will be combined with the acids, and
the grease being liberated, will pro-
duce an effect equal to the colouripg Of
greasy cloth.
O" cleansing Of cloth from its grease IN
the flannel.
In general, urinous liquor and water
are sufficient to clean cloth from lis
grease in the flannel after it is woven !;
but when the wool has not been prop