The cloth, on being removed from the souring-vat, is boiled with soda lye, washed, and again treated with dilute sulphuric acid, which more effectually removes the decom posed coloring matter. It is thereafter thoroughly washed, passed through rollers to remove some of the water; then introduced into the hydro-extractor, to get rid of the water more effectually; and lastly, the cloth is dried by being suspended in the air, or by being passed over a series of heated tin rollers, called steam cans. In the ordinary course of 13., cotton loses about one-twentieth of its weight, and linen about oue-third.
After the B. operations have been successfully performed, it is customary to proceed to the finishing of the cloth, which consists in, firstly, passing it through a large mangle, where the crumbled piece of cloth becomes smooth; secondly, drawing the cloth over rollers, which cause tt to dip in a trough containing starch; thirdly, drying the starched cloth; and, fourthly, passing it through a large mangle or calender,consisting of a series of rollers alternately of polished cast iron and solid paper, and which not only smoothout the cloth, but communicate a fine glazed surface, such as is generally exhibited in bleached cloth when purchased. The cloth intended to be printed upon or to be dyed is not
starched or calendered. The operations connected with the 13. of cloth by chlorine exert no injurious effect on the health of men and women engaged in them. Some of the bleach-works near Glasgow are of long standing, and ,olve regular employment to sev eral hundred women. The rapidity with which the B. by chloiine can be carried on, may he understood from the fact, that when pressed for time, it is no uncommon thing to bleach, finish, and return to town 1000 pieces of cloth within 48 hours. Valuable in many respects, however, as is the rapidity of B. by means of chemical agents. it must be achnitted that the process exerts a certain weakening effect on the cloth, and that, after all, B. according to the old method on the grass is preferable. Grass B. is therefore still in use where time admits, as also for cleaning linen and cotton apparel in domestic wash ing. See WASHING.