Sizing.—In the case of fine yarns, the proeeasea differ somewhat from these. The bobbins from the spinning-frame are taken to the winder,who winds the yarn upon large bobbins which go to the sizing-frame. This frame is a very simple machine, being almost like the beaming-frame just described, but instead of taking the yarn in the form of a chain, it is fitted with a creel, large enough to contain a aufficient number of bobbins for a complete warp. The threads are passed through a reed, as before, after which they are conducted through a trough of thin size made from farina, on emerging from which, the " sheet " of threads is exposed to the action of several drying-' fans, and then passes upon the beam. There is no sizing for weight in the jute-trade.
Weaving.—Jute looms possess no feature to distinguish them from looms employed to weave other fibrous materials, beyond being of increased strength. They are adapted to weave plain fabrics, twills, and sometimes figured goods, as in the case of jute carpets. They are usually on the ovcrpiek principle, and of various widths. When contrasted with looms used in other branches of the textile industries, they appear crude and roughly finished, and, generally speaking, it might be advantageous to bestow upon their construction a little more care than is apparently given at present. Owing to the character of the fibre, and the heavy yarns usually spun from it, the looms for weaving jute have necessarily large projections at the end of the lathe for shuttle-boxes to receive the great heavy shuttles employed.
Formerly pirna were used, on which the weft yarns were wound. These were of wood, but were of necessity so large that very little yarn could be put upon them, and the frequent stoppages caused by its exhaustion greatly restricted the production from a loom. A few years ago, however, a machine for forming cops for weft purposes was invented, and has now to a great extent superseded the use of pirns. The yarns intended for weft are brought upon the bobbins from the spinning-frame to the copping-machine. Being placed in the frame, the thread is drawn from the bobbin, and passed through a conical cap fixed upon the extremity of an oscillating lever. The thread is attached to the winding-spindle, and the oscillating cap, which is a hollow cone, traverses the thread in the winding so as to form a cop, which, when doffed, is ready for the loom. The peculiarity of this cop is in its construction, which enables it to be used from the base, the yarn being drawn from its interior. This necessitates a peculiar form of shuttle also, which has no peg, as ordinarily, but is prepared to receive the cop without, and has the open top closed with a metallic plate, fastened down with a spring. By the adoption of this plan, the production has
been increased, the quality improved, and the cost lessened.
In jute-weaving, similar qualities are required as in other sections of the trade, to constitute the best results. An even distribution of both longitudinal and transverse threads must be secured ; irregularities in the picking must be avoided, and the fabric must not be "reed-raked." " Putting a akin ou the cloth," as it is technically called, is an important matter in making a marketable article. This is what is known in the cotton trade as " cover," or throwing upon the snrfaee all the loose fibres of the yarn composing both warp and weft, whereby the fabric appears full and closely woven, or more se than it would otherwise do were this matter neglected. These are points of detail occurring in practice which do not require further reference here.
When the cloth leaves the weaver, in a well-coudueted establiahment, it is usually examined, and all blemishes are repaired, absent threads through breakages being inserted by the needle. The women to whom this task is confided execute it with great dexterity and swiftness. After examination, the cloth is ready for finishing.
Finishing.—The finishing of jute fabrics consists of little more than ealendering. The material has, long before arriving at this point, lost most of the moisture it received in the batching process, and has become dry and rough. In order to render it pliable, and more amenable to the influence of the calendering process, each web is passed through a damping machine ; in the body of this is fixed a brush, which, dippping into a trough of water, and rapidly revolving throws a shower of fine spray against the cloth. As the cloth is thus rolled damp, every portion is soon penetrated by the moisture, and it is then ready for the calender.
Calendering-machinea are of different forms and sizes to suit requirement. The largest and most powerful are capable of putting a pressure of 100 tons upon the article subjected to their operation. The price of machines of this capacity is 40001.-50001. An ordinary calender consists of four rollers, two being hollow metallic cylinders, highly polished, and heated by steam. These are placed alternately with the other two, which are composed of compressed paper-material, and are extremely solid and heavy. The web being passed through this machine, and thus subjected to great pressure and heat, receives a glazed finish, which considerably alters its appearance. The length is increased at the expense of the width, sometimes to the extent of a porter or two, as indicated above, which consequently alters its denomination as a matter of fact, though the change may not always be made.