NETS are fabrics in which the threads cross each other at right angles, leaving a com paratively large open space between them: threads are also knotted at the intersections. In this respect netting differs essentially from weaving, where the intersecting threads sim• ply cross each other. The open spaces in nets are called meshes, and these correspond in size with an instrument used in net-making, consistiug of a flat piece ot wood or other hard sub stance, usually about the shape and size of a common paper-knife. In addition to this, a peculiar kind of needle is used, upon which a large quantity of the thread is placed by i winding it from end to end between the forked extremities; the holes are used to insert the end of the thread, to prevent it slipping off at the commencement of the winding. The art of net-making has been practiced from the earliest times by the most savage as well as the most civilized nations. Even where the art of weaving was quite unknown, as in some of the South Sea islands when first discovered, that of netting was well understood; and it is easy to see that the human race could not help learning the value of this art from seeing bow frequently land and water animals get entangled in the shrubs and weeds through which they attempt to pass; hence we find amongst savage tribes, almost universally, nets are used not only for fishing, as with us, but also for entrapping land animals. \Ve have ample illustrations of the uses of nets for both mi•poses in the bas-reliefs of Assyria, Greece, and RQU1C, and in the mural paintings of Egypt.
Until recently nets have been slways made by band, and generally the thread has been a more or less thick twine of hemp or flax, the thickness of the twine and the size of the mesh, depending upon the kind of fish for which it was made; recently, however, great improvements have been made in the manufacture of nets, and machinery of a most beautiful automatic kind has been introduced by Messrs. Stuart of Musselburg, whose manufactory is of vast extent. This establishment commences with the raw materials, which are hemp, flax, and cotton, the last having been extensively employed for herring and sprat nets of late years. Hemp, however, is the chief material for net-making; and in order to prepare it, it is first passed in long rolls through a machine consisting of two rollers with blunt ridges, the upper of which is kept down on the material by means of a hanging weight, consisting of a loaded box suspended to a chain from the axle of the roller. After the fiber has passed through this, it is much more supple than before, and is then hackled; this process is also done by machinery, which was first intro duced into this manufactory for hemp-hackling, and succeeds admirably. It subse
quently passes through the carding, roving, and spinning processes, as in all other kinds of yarn, and is finally twisted into threads or twines of the required thickness. Messrs. Stuart have in one room 4,000 spindles at work, besides the carding and twist machines. Of their patent loom they have 200 at work, the largest of which makes nets 480 meshes in width. It would be useless to attempt to describe these ingenious looms, which are worked by hand, otherwise titan by saying that their leading features are like the stock ing-fnunes; a series of sinkers push forward, pull down, and pass in and out the thread, which is carried from one side of the web to the other by long iron needles, which net as shuttles passing not over-quickly from a long box on each side of the loom. The bobbins of twine which keels the needle must have a conical form, which is most ingeniously given it by a special contrivance, in the twisting-machine; twine passes through small rings to prevesst it being given off too quickly, or in knots or kinks. This simple yet most effecti—e contrivances is worked by wheels and jointed rods, and might be advan• tageously • .
pplied to many other purposes. After the net comes from the loom, goes to the tsnishers, who, by hand, make the addition of a kind of selvage, consisting of thickne.sess of twine, to give strength to the edges.. The nets are then ready for oss, and are sent in vast numbers to all parts of the world. Machine net-making is now 'secoming general.
A great variety of nets are in use amongst fishermen, but the principal are the seine, trawl, and drift stets. The seine is a very long but not very wide net, one side of which is loaded with pieces of lead, and consequently sinks; the other, or upper, is buoyed with pieces of cork, and consequently is kept up to the surface. Seines are sometimes as much as 190 fathoms in length. When stretched out they constitute walls of net-work in the water, and are made to inclose vast shoals of fish. The trawl is dragged along the bottom by the fishing-boat; and the drift-net is like the seine, but is not loaded with lead; it is usually employed for mackerel fishing..
Various kinds of nets are used in bird-catching, one of which is noticed in the article CLAP-NET. Nets are used in catching quadrupeds, chiefly for the purpose of inclosing spaces within which they are, but sometimes also for throwing upon them to confuse and entangle them.
Nets are used by gardeners to protect crops from birds; also to protect the blossoms of trees from frost, and it is wonderful how well this object Is accomplished, even when the meshes are pretty wide, and the son's rays have very free access.