HESSIAN. A jute fabric made as a plain cloth, in various degrees of fineness, width and quality. The original or standard, hessian was 4oin. wide, weighed io2oz. per yd., and known as an I I Porter, which, in the finished state, contained about 12 threads and i21- picks per inch. The chief modern types are 9 Porter and 10 Porter, but others are made as low as 4 Porter and as high as 20 Porter. The name is probably of German origin, and the fabric was originally made from flax and tow. Small quantities of cloth are still made from yarns of these fibres, but the jute fibre, owing to its comparative cheapness, has almost supplanted all others.
This useful cloth is employed in countless ways, especially for packing all kinds of dry goods, while large quantities, of different qualities, are made up into bags for sugar, flour, coffee, grain, ore, manure, sand, potatoes, onions, etc. Indeed, these bags usually form the most convenient, and at the same time the cheapest cov ering for any kind of goods which are not damaged by being crushed.
Certain types are specially treated, dyed black, tan or other colour, or left in their natural colour, stiffened and used for pad dings and linings for cheap clothing, boots, shoes, bags and other articles. When dyed in art shades the cloth forms an attractive decoration for stages and platforms, and generally for any tempo rary erection, and in many cases it is stencilled and then used for wall decoration. It is also used as a foundation for plaster on house walls and for similar purposes.
The great linoleum industry depends upon certain types of this fabric for the foundation of its products, while large quantities are used for the backs of fringe rugs, spring mattresses and the upholstery of furniture. The great centres for the manufacture of this fabric are Dundee and Calcutta, and every variety of the cloth, and all kinds of hand- and machine-sewn as well as seamless bags are made in the former city. The American name for hessian is burlap; this particular kind is 4oin. wide, and is now largely made in Calcutta as well as in Dundee and other places. Since 190o the weaving of hessian cloth has been established in many countries. (T. W.)