Amador Ledger-Dispatch, 1 January 1904 — NAMES OF FABRICS. [ARTICLE]

NAMES OF FABRICS.

Muslin is named for Mosul, in Asia. Serge comes from Xerga, the Spanish for a certain sort of blanket.

Bandanna is derived from an Indian word signifying to bind or tie.

Calico is named for Calicut, a town in India, where it was first printed.

Alpaca is the name of a species of llama from whose wool the genuine fabric is woven.

The name damask is an abbreviation of Damascus; satin is a corruption of Zaytown, In China.

Velvet is the Italian "vellute," woolly, and is traceable farther back to the Latin vellus, a hide or pelt. • ~"

Shawl is from the Sanskrit sala, which means floor, shawls having been first used as carpet tapestry.

Cambric comes from Cambrai, gauze from Gaza, baize from Bajac, dimity from Dametta and jeans from Jean.

Blanket bears the name of Thomas Blanket", a famous English clothier who aided the Introduction of woolens Into England in the fourteenth century.— Philadelphia Bulletin.