Question

In 1725, Lyon textile worker Basile Bouchon introduced a pivotal modification to the traditional silk drawloom by utilizing a perforated paper roll to control the selection of warp threads. Prior to Bouchon's invention, complex pattern weaving relied on a cord-pulling assistant, known as a drawboy, who manually raised specific warp threads according to a written pattern code—a process prone to human error and severely limiting production speed. Bouchon adapted the mechanisms of organ clocks, substituting a continuous roll of punched paper for the pegged wooden cylinders traditionally used in automated instruments. As the paper roll turned, a row of needles pressed against it; needles encountering holes passed through, triggering the mechanical lifting of corresponding warp threads, while needles encountering solid paper were pushed back, keeping their threads lowered. Despite its conceptual ingenuity, Bouchon's initial apparatus faced significant operational resistance in Lyon workshops. The fragile paper rolls frequently tore under the humidity of weaving cellars, and the single row of needles could only accommodate simple repeating patterns, constraining the loom to rudimentary motifs. Consequently, master weavers largely rejected the mechanism as an unreliable substitute for skilled labor, prompting Bouchon's colleague Jean-Baptiste Falcon to replace the paper roll with perforated stiff cardboard cards bound in an endless loop—a structural adjustment that enhanced durability and laid the foundation for Jacquard's later fully automated loom.

According to the passage, which of the following is explicitly stated as a primary operational limitation of Basile Bouchon's 1725 loom modification?