Reeling, Drying, and Bundling are the subsequent processes necessary to complete the preparation of the yarn for the market.
" Reeling" is the operation of running the yarn off the spinning-bobbins upon reels of 90 in.
circumference, by which means, it is divided into measured lengths. It is a very simple operation, but its prompt performance is extremely important, owing to the fact that the yarn, having been " wet-spun," must be quickly cleared from the bobbins in order to be dried. Should this be neglected for a few days, it is probable that the yarn would be injured by mildew. The stock of bobbins required to keep the spinning-machines supplied is also so large that only few mills could keep their machinery at work more than three or four hours after the reeling process has been suspended. The bobbins when doffed by the spinner are put into boxes by the frame, and are fetched thence by children, who place them in "cages "—small boxes containing as many " pins " as there are spindles in one side of the spinning-frame, on which the bobbins are placed for trans mission to the reeling-room.
Formerly the reels were worked by hand, as, owing to the very frequent stoppages, the applica tion of power was difficult and unsatisfactory. Of late years, however, from the difficulty of finding an adequate supply of reelere, means have been devised to overcome these obstacles, and reels driven by power have come very generally into use.
In reeling, the chief care ought to be to keep up the threads, so that the banks will not be short, as, being sold by measurement as well as weight, complaints would be received from the pur chaser on this ground. The length is measured by the revolutions of the reel, which are indicated through a bell-wheel driven by a worm upon the axle of the reel. When the banks are completed, of which there arc 20-24 reeled at one time, each containing 3600 yd., the reeler doffs the frame by drawing out three wooden pins from the three spokes of one rail of the fly, which then drops down, and allows the yarn to become slack, and be easily stripped from the reel. Care must be exercised
that they shall not be stained with oil in the stripping or other process, as it depreciates the value considerably, through the difficulty of clearing away the traces of this in bleaching or other oubse quent treatment.
It is in the reel that the yarn is measured, and it will therefore be proper in this connection to introduce the yarn table which is used in the trade. The standard is 1 lb. of 16 oz. The par ticulars are as follows :— In speaking of the fineness of flax yarns, I lea-yarn would mean that there were 300 yd. in 1 lb., and 100 lea would imply 100 x 300 = 30,000 yd., and similarly of other numbers of leas. There is a system of "short-reel measurement," which is used mainly for convenience.
Flax yarns are generally dried over the boilers of the establishment, in apartments specially prepared to utilize the heat which is thrown off. The banks are suspended upon drying-poles, which are made smooth, and painted, so that the yarn shall not be scratched and torn on splinters. The room in which the drying takes place requires to be well ventilated, so that the moist air can easily be drawn off. In some cases, it is desirable to use a " drying-machine," invented for tho purpose, and which has been found very efficacious.
After being sufficiently dried, the yarn is next put up in bundles, and made into hunches of any desired size, containing 1-12 bundles, according to the lea, and the requirement of the manufacturer.
Wearing and its Preparation.—There is little to distinguish the weaving branch of the linen trade from that of the other textile industries (see Cotton Manufactures, Jute Manufactures). The yarn in the first instance, however, is carefully boiled and washed, by which, much of the natural gum upon the fibre is dissolved, and it is rendered more pliable. if the fabrics are intended to be white, the yarn at this stage is bleached (see Bleaching, p. 515), and if coloured, dyed. In both cases, it is dried after the process.