places are still to be found where the entire population is engaged in
this industry.

PLAIN NETTING AND THE IMPLEMENTS USED IN NETTING (figs. 611, 612,
613).--Plain netting consists of loops, secured and rendered independent
of one another by knots. For forming and tightening these loops and
knots the following implements are necessary; in the first place, a
netting needle; these are generally made of steel, split and flattened
at both ends, with a hole bored through them below the fork at the one
end, in which the thread, fig. 611, is secured, before it is wound on
lengthwise between the forks. They are numbered as to size like knitting
needles. There are netting needles likewise of bone, ivory, wood and
tortoise-shell for twine and thick materials; these are without hole,
fig. 612.

[Illustration: FIG. 611. NETTING NEEDLE OF STEEL.]

[Illustration: FIG. 612. NETTING NEEDLE OF IVORY.]

The thread must be wound on very tightly, and not too much of it at a
time, that the needle may slip easily through the loops. The mesh, or
spool, fig. 613, whether of ivory, bone, steel or wood, should be smooth
and round and of the same thickness throughout, so that the loops, made
upon it, may be all of one size and easily slipped off.

[Illustration: FIG. 613. MESH OR SPOOL OF IVORY.]

For long loops a flat mesh is best, and in all cases, the needle and
mesh should be selected with a view, both to the material employed, and
the size of loop required.

In addition to these two implements, a cushion, weighted with lead will
be required, to pin the foundation loop to, on which the first row of
netting is worked.

MATERIALS SUITABLE FOR NETTING.--These, of course depend on the
purpose of the netting: silk, twine, wool and cotton, can all be used
and each possesses its advantages and disadvantages. Silk has the finest
gloss but when it is strongly twisted it is very apt to knot, and when
loosely twisted, does not make firm knots. It is difficult to get linen
thread with a smooth uniform twist and moreover it soon frays in the
working; wool is too elastic a fibre and is unsuitable for washing
purposes, cotton remains therefore, in every respect the most desirable
material, being both smooth and uniformly twisted; as qualities, more
especially adapted for netting we may mention the following: Fil a
pointer D.M.C, Cordonnet 6 fils D.M.C (crochet cotton), Fil a dentelle
D.M.C (lace thread), and even Coton a tricoter D.M.C[A] (knitt