.FLAX AN ORNAMENTAL PLANT. %&5 



iiig it in random parcels, or little clumps of from 10 to 20 

 plants, towards the back of the flower borders, and in the 

 front of the shrubbery : for, without the summer proves un- 

 commonly dry, it will attain to the height of three or four 

 feet. If a temporary edging, or summer screen is wanting 

 for any particular bed, it may be also employed for this 

 purpose. 



The seeds of good flax are short, plump, thick, very oil}', Cuitivat;on t 

 and of a bright brown colour. The best season for sowing 

 them, in most gardens, is February, or the beginning of 

 March, when the general crop of hardy annuals are put in; 

 but if the ground be sandy, and naturally dry, they 

 should be sown in October or November, No more atten* 

 tion than what is necessary for the other flowers in the gai> 

 den, which is keeping down all weeds while in the seed leaf 

 with a hoe, will be requisite for this. As soon as the seed Gathering. 

 begins to ripen, and the plants turn yellow, pull the whole 

 up by the roots, and lay it in bundles exposed to the full 

 sun, if the weather is fine, to dry completely. Then pull 

 the heads ofT, and shake out the seeds. Immediately after, Maceration. 

 it must be laid to macerate in a ditch, or pond of water, 

 and kept under by a long piece of timber floating upon it. 

 From five to ten days is the time necessary for its immer- 

 sion, and after the fifth, it must be examined daily, taking 

 especial care that it does not lie too long. As soon as ever 

 you find the fibres are sufficiently macerated to separate 

 from one another kindly, spread it out to dry upon a new 

 mown meadow. When dry it must be again collected into Preparation, 

 bundles, and either sent to the flax dresser, or prepared for 

 spinning at home by the gardener's wife. In many districts, 

 this operation is well understood, and if carefully per- 

 formed, homespun linen from such flax will last twice the 

 time of most of the Irish linen that is now to be purchased 

 in our shops. 



I believe it is a great errour to pull the flax so green as Cautions. 

 is commonly practised, and a still greater to soak it in wa- 

 ter, before it is previously dried: for the fibres require 

 twice the time to macerate sufficiently for separation in the 

 dressing; a process by which they are considerably weak- 

 ened. 



VII* 



