JUTE MANUFACTURES. The extensive and daily increasing use of jute as a textile material, has induced us to give a brief notice of its manufacture into fabrics, by way of supplementing what has been already said under the head JUTE. This now gigantic industry has sprung up so rapidly, one might almost say so stealthily, that compara tively few persons are aware of its importance, and many have never even heard of the fiber at all. For some 40 years back the Dundee mill-owners have been gradually employing it more and more to mix with tlax, until there is scarcely one of them who does not use it largely, and the majority now use it entirely. Jute is more brittle than flax, and will not spin so fine, nor wear so well; but then it is only about half the price, and when woven is attractive enough in appearance. In India it has been manufactured by the natives into gunny-cloth for centuries.
The jute-plant is very largely cultivated in Bengal, and the fiber is prepared there for exportation by the process of water-retting. Jute of a fine glossy appearance brings the highest price in the market. It is spun by processes similar to those employed for flax, but as it is from 10 to 15 ft. long, it is necessary to cut it into 3-ft. lengths before it can be heckled. The fiber also requires to be saturated with whale-oil and water, so as to soften and render it more elastic, preparatory to spinning. Heckling is the first if the spinning operations, and its object is to remove the coarser portions of the jute, and lay the fibers in parallel order. The heckle is a kind of comb, with sharp-pointed steel teeth, from 1 to 2 in. in length. Formerly the process was done by hand, but now heckling-machines arc used. The heckled stricks are next taken to the spreader, or first drawing-frame, where they are spread upon an endless creeping-sheet, so as to supply the jute continuously to another part of the machine, where, by a peculiar of rollers, it is drawn out, through combs of closely-ranged steel pins, into a continuous ribbon, called a sliver. A number—say 14—of these slivers arc then taken to another drawing-machine, with steel combs, and drawn out into one. In like manner some 20 of these slivers are again drawn into one. The first sliver from the spreader has thus, so to speak, been drawn out 280 times its original length; and by continuing this doubling and drawing, the fibers become thoroughly parallel and equalized. The sliver from the last drawing-frame is still further drawn out, and at the same time receives a slight twist in the roving-frame. Finally the bobbins of "rove" are taken to the spin and spun into yarn upon the "throstle" principle.
, just as in the ease of flax, the jute tow from the heckling process is also spun into yarn, in which ease it is first carded by means of a " breaker" and "finisher" card, and then drawn, roved, and spun, as above described. Indeed, a great deal of jute, as imported, is treated in this way without being heckled at all.
The larger portion of jute fabrics is woven from yarn of the natural color; but for some purposes it is bleached; and when used for carpets, it is dyed various colors, It bleaches with difficulty, but is easily dyed. Hessian sheetings for packing all kinds of merchandise are most largely produced; but sackings, baggings, osnaburgs, ducks, carpetings, mattings, etc., are largely made as well. It is also intermixed with flax, cotton, and wool for various union fabrics. At Dundee the manufacturers have not yet been able to render the dyes on this material fast; but at Barrow-in-Furness, where it is manufactured on a very considerable scale, a process discovered by M. Julius Lacks by which the fiber is permanently dyed is in successful operation. As a result of this, a finer chDis of jute goods such as curtains, table-cloths, and dress-pieces art, now made, to which the general name of kalameit is given.
For many years after the introduction of jute in 1833, Dundee was the only place where it was to any extent manufactured; but now considerable quantities of jute goods are made in London, Manchester, and Glasgow, as well as on the continent. A few years back several jute-mills were started in Calcutta. These have been so prosperous that they now supply nearly all the heavy sacking and bagging for the Egyptian and Australian markets. Much of this material is also sent from India to California. Dundee is still, however, the great center of the trade; and there the consumption of the rate material, which in 1886 \vita only 300 tons, amounted in 1873 to 140,000 tons; but the trade has fallen off a little from then to 1879. It will give an idea of the vast size of some of the larger jute-mills to state that the one belonging to Messrs. Cox Brothers occupies 14 acres of ground, the aggregate, power of the steam-engines exceeds 1400 horses, and the hands employed amoum to between 4,000 and 5,000. In this mill there are over 1000 power-looms; and like several of the large Dundee factories, it contains within itself all the departments of an extensive engineering establishment. The total quantity of jute imported into Great Britain in 1878 was 212,119 tons, valued at £3,236,825. After opium jute now forms the next great staple of the maritime trade of Calcutta, which exports jute to the value of about £4,500,000 annually.