During the past few years, several important improvements in the carpet-loom have been introduced,the object of which has chiefly been to simplify the meohanism and facilitate production. The Bigelow loom, the first successful power-loom for the manufacture of carpets, was an American invention, and we are indebted to that country also for several receut improvements of an important nature.
The standard make for Brussels carpet is 8 wires for 1 in. of length and 27 in. of width of carpet. The difference in the work involved and in the quality consists in the greater or less number of' coloured threads used in the pile-warp for forming the pattern ; in the beat carpets, these amount to 1300, all of which are to be brought up to the surface in turn and kept in order. About of these must bo lifted by the jacquard at each insertion of a wire, to ensure ita being completely covered all across the fabric. To the above threada have to be added those of the body warp, about 400 in number, thus bringing up the total in a good Brussels to about 1700, each of which mud have a separate mail or cord, so as to permit of its being picked up individually when ever required by the design.
In the manufacture of carpets, as in other goods, great changes have been produced by the extension of our commerce. English wools, such as britch, saycast, matching, neat, brown drawing, and otber sorts were formerly the main bull: of those consunied. These, however, would now be too expensive, and consequently have been superseded by foreign wools, such as E. Indian, Peraian, and other barbarian wools, i. e. wools from unimproved breeds of sheep, many of which possess very good qualities for carpet purposes. Oporto wool is in high estimation, yielding a soft, lustrous yarn, which covers the grounds very well, and is extensively- used for medium shades of colour, and for browns, yellows, 8ce. Best whites are made from high class English wool, whilst low whites aro obtained from an inferior quality of our home produce. The former are alto used for white shades and light drabs ; a medium quality is used for general purposes, and is suitable for anch coloura as reds, browns, and moat dark shades. For black grounds, it is meet economical, and also
satisfactory as regards quality, to nee a level, full, and well-spun grey yarn. Less dyestuff is needed to get the required shade, which, when it is obtained, is as solid and durable 11 9 that upon a whito yarn, though the dyeing will have cost 20 per cent. leas.
The quality of carpet pile-yarns ia judged high when it ia free from lumps and kemps, and is evenly spun in every respect. It ie far the wisest course, though not quite a common practice, to scour samples of all yarns intended to be bought, because thie reveals the faults, espeeitilly when unevenly spun or twisted, which causes it to " cockle " or twist up, arising from the strands having shrunk unequally ; this fault gives much trouble in after processes. When the sample hank has been scoured, it should be compared with that in the grease by extending it upon the hand ; if it has shrunk very mueh or has " cockled," it will not prove a satisfactory yarn in working, and ought to be avoided. It is also desirable to carefully ascertain the diminution of weight after scouring, because much loss may accrue from buying yarns heavily laden with grease. The strength of the yarn is always an important matter, and care should be taken to have it of a quality equal to the work expected from it. Both in this reepect and in regard to finenese, it should be tested frequently ; in the latter, in every delivery when the yarn is purchased from outside. IN'hen the test shows it to be within a quarter of a count of the nominal fineness, it is regarded as correct.
Scouring the yams is simply the process of clearing them from the oil and grease of previous stages, and is ordinarily performed in a " wash," or bath of water in which soap or honey soda has been dissolved. Several special methods have been adopted for doing this efficiently, but these require no particular description, as the object of all is to clear the yarn perfectly. The system by which this result can be secured most completely is manifestly the best one, and any plan falling short of this is not to be adopted. Well-cleared yarns take the dyes more perfectly than others, and yield a better result.