In modern bleach-houses the chain form is gradually giving place to the method of bleaching separate hanks, partly because so many improvements have been made in the hank-bleaching machinery of late years, which enables bleachers to handle the yarn in the form of separate hanks better than they could do formerly; and as bleaching in separate hanks means that the cotton is kept in a more open form, and is thus more easily penetrated by the various liquors which are used, it follows that the bleach will be better and more thorough, which is what the bleacher aims at. At the same time weaker liquors or, what is the same thing, less material can be used, which means a saving in the cost of the process. For bleaching yarn in the hank the following process may be followed with good results:-- (1) Lye boil, using 1,000 lb. yarn, 40 lb. caustic soda of 70 per cent., and 50 lb. of soda ash of 58 per cent., giving five to six hours' boil at low pressure. (2) Wash through washing machine. (3) Second lye boil, using 40 lb. soda ash of 58 per cent., and giving two to three hours' boil, wash again through a washing machine. (4) Chemic as in warp bleaching. (5) Sour as in warp bleaching. (6) Wash well. (7) Hydro extract and dry. Sometimes, if the yarn is to be sold in thread form, before the last operation it passes through another, _viz._, treating with soap and blue liquors, which will be dealt with presently. The lye boils are done in the ordinary kiers, and do not call for further notice, except that in filling the goods into the kiers care should be taken that while sufficiently loose to permit of the alkaline liquors penetrating through the hanks properly, yet they should be so packed that they will not float about and thus become entangled and damaged.