SPIDER SILK.

Golden Bay Argus, Volume VI, Issue 73, 21 October 1897, Page 2

SPIDER SILK.

It was repotted some time ago that at a ball in South America the mistress of the house wore a dress made of spider silk. It is nearly two centuries since a. French scientist made the first attempt to utilise this silk ; a certain Mr.ns. Bon sent to the Academy of Science some mittens and socks of spider silk, and Reaumur was requested to examine these articles and mske a report. There was no disputing the fact that the articles were genuine, but Reaumur showed conclusively that " the game was not worth the candle."

It took ninety spider threads to equal in strength one silk thread, and 180 to make a thread strong enough for sewing purp; ses. Moreover, it took twice as many spiders as silk worms to produce a given quautity of silk. And, to produce one pound of silk, 28,C00 cocoons would have been required. Reacmur recommended that spiders in warmer climes should be experimented on. This suggestion was carried out by the Abbe do Termeyer, in Brazil. He pursued his object for thirty-four years, but with very poor results. A few years ago an Knglish manufacturer obtained some large tropical spiders, and kepi them in a room heated to a temperature of 60 degrees ; into this room he caused to slowly evaporate a liquid composed of chlotoform, ether, and alcohol. The result was far more favourable than hitherto obtained, but as the cost ot the silk was nearly £3O per pound it cannot be said that a spider silk dress is within the reach of all.