of free fatty matter, of course perfectly equally distributed, and not due to irregular saponification. On the average the soap solution for scouring wool may contain about 6-1/2 oz. of soap to the gallon of water. In order to increase the cleansing powers of the soap solution, some ammonia may be added to it. However, if soap is used for wool-scouring, one thing must be borne in mind, namely, that the water used must not be hard, for if insoluble lime and magnesia soaps are formed and precipitated on the fibre, the scouring will have removed one evil, but replaced it by another. The principal scouring material used is one of the various forms of commercial carbonate of soda, either alone or in conjunction with soap. Whatever be the form or name under which the carbonate of soda is sold, it must be free from hydrate of soda, _i.e._ caustic soda, or, as it is also termed, "causticity." By using this carbonate of soda you may dispense with soap, and so be able, even with a hard or calcareous water, to do your wool-scouring without anything like the ill effects that follow the use of soap and calcareous water. The carbonate of soda solutions ought not to exceed the specific gravity of 1 deg. to 2 deg. Twaddell (1-1/2 to 3 oz. avoird. per gallon of water). The safest plan is to work with as considerable a degree of dilution and as low a temperature as are consistent with fetching the dirt and grease off. The scouring of loose wool, as we may now readily discern, divides itself into three stages: 1st, the stage in which those "yolk" or "suint" constituents soluble in water, are removed by steeping and washing in water. This operation is generally carried out by the wool-grower himself, for he desires to sell wool, and not wool plus "yolk" or "suint," and thus he saves himself considerable cost in transport. The water used in this process should not be at a higher temperature than 113 deg. F., and the apparatus ought to be provided with an agitator; 2nd, the cleansing or scouring proper, with a weak alkaline solution; 3rd, the rinsing or final washing in water. Thus far we have proceeded along the same lines as the woollen manufacturer, but now we must deviate from that course, for he requires softness and delicacy for special purposes, for spinning and weaving, etc.; but the felt manufacturer, and especially the manufacturer of felt for felt hats, requires to sacrifice some of this softness and delicacy in favour of greater felting powers, which can only be obtained by raising the scales of the fibres by means of a suitable process, such as treatment with acids. This process is one which is by no means unfavourable to the dyeing capacities of the wool; on the whole it is decidedly favourable.