CALENDERING. The subjection of cloth and other articles to a machine, which, when so prepared, are calendered, literally meaning hot-pressed; by passing between rollers it acquires a level or uniform surface. After goods are bleached and washed, they are twisted and tangled, so that they would not pass smoothly between the cylinders. They are previously passed over the surfitee of a water-cistern, and reaching the rollers in a damp state, they unfold themselves readily. The first pair of rollers over which the cloth is passed, does not dry or quite smooth it. The rollers in the calender are fixed in a vertical series in an upright frame, the rollers being pressed forcibly together by lever power. The lower rollers are generally grooved to remove creases ; the upper rollers are smooth, and of wood and In pass ing between these the cloth is smoothed and stretched, when it is wound upon a roller, ready to be starched.
The starch is made from flour, fer mented and strained to separate the bran ; a little indigo is added to give a blue tint, and the liquor thickened with por celain clay, or calcined gypsum, to give apparent strength and thickness to the cloth, and make it more attractive to the purchaser. The starch is laid on by a stiff ening mangle; the cloth first passing un der a roller into a trough containing the starch-liquor, becomes filled with starch, and then carried upwards, passes be tween rollers of brass and wood, tightly fitting against each other, by which the superfluous starch is pressed out, and falls down into the trough below. The
cloth is then dried by being passed over tin or copper cylinders, heated by steam. Muslins are merely stretched on long frames to dry. 'The finish for cotton goods is generally by glazing, which gives a bright gloss to the material. In this case the cloth must first be damped, which is done by passing it over a cylin der, while a brush is at the same time scattering fine spray of water on the stuff. It is then passed between the rollers of the colors, and gets a silky lustre.
Copper-embossed rollers are occasion ally used for producing figures and pat terns on velvet goods. After the cloth has received its final gloss, it is smoothly folded on a clean board, and taken to be measured preparatory for sale. There are upwards of one hundred ways for making up goods. Muslin is made up in book-folds, in pieces of 24 yards ; usually two half pieces are made up in one book. Canabrics and linens are in pieces 84 inches wide, and 8} yards long, fold ed up small, and tightly pressed. Hand kerchiefs are sometimes folded in dozens.