With  reference  to  color,  this  point  is  not  so
important  in  yarns  intended  for  prints,  or
where  the  finished  product  is  to  be  dyed;  but
in  fabrics  either  woven  or  knitted,  where  the
natural  color  of  the  fibre  is  to  be  retained,  it  is
essential  that  the  mixing  be  composed  of  cot-
ton as  near  as  possible  of  one  color.     Other-


f


80  COTTON    MANUAL

wise  the  fabrics  would  have  either  a  shaded,
or  striped  effect.
The  most  common  method  of  making  a  mix-
ing is  to  build  the  cotton  up  in  the  form  of  a
stack  which  may  be  open,  or  enclosed  in  bins
made  with  lattice  sides  so  that  air  can  circu-
late through  the  cotton.
If  the  cotton  is  mixed  by  hand,  a  quantity
from  each  lot  is  spread  over  the  floor  of  the
bin,  or  space  to  be  occupied  by  the  stack.
This  is  followed  by  another  layer  from  a  dif-
ferent lot  and  so  on  until  the  stack  has  been
formed.
The  size  of  the  mixing  will  depend  upon  the
size  of  the  mill,  and  the  circumstances  under
which  it  is  to  be  made.  Good  results,  how-
ever, can  be  obtained  by  making  a  mixing
large  enough  to  supply  the  mill  from  3  days  to
one  week.
In  small  mills  it  may  be  convenient  to  make
the  mixing  in  the  same  room  as  the  picker  ma-
chinery, but  where  a  very  large  mixing  is  nec-
essary a  room  should  be  provided  for  this  pur-
pose, and  is  known  as  the  "Mixing  Room."
«

Mixing  Machinery.
In  large  mills  it  has  become  the  practice  to
employ  machinery  to  make  the  mixings  in
place  of  building  stacks  by  hand.  This  is
done  with  a  view  to  mixing  more  thoroughly
and  reducing  the  labor  cost.
