282 ANNUAL OF SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY. 



powerful substance ; but I am confident that, as California has been 

 explored in our clay, so vast a reservoir of nitrogen the main desid- 

 eratum for the worn-out fields of Europe cannot long be left within 

 a few miles of the sea, passed almost in sight by our steamers, yet still 

 nearly inaccessible, at the foot of the Andes." 



WATT'S IMPROVED METHOD FOR THE PREPARATION OF FLAX 



FIBER. 



The following is a description of a plan recently brought out in 

 Ireland, by Mr. Watt, for the preparation of flax fiber, and which is 

 known as " Watt's System." This system in all its details was exam- 

 ined in October, 1852, by a committee of the Royal Flax Society of 

 Belfast, Ireland, who reported favorably concerning its merits by their 

 Chairman, Richard Niven, Esq., of Belfast. 



Mr. Watt's system may be briefly described as follows : The flax 

 straw is delivered at the works by the grower in a dry state, with the 

 seed on. The seed is separated by metal rollers, and afterwards 

 cleansed by fanners. The straw is then placed in close chambers, 

 with the exception of two doors, which serve the purpose of putting 

 in and discharging the straw ; the top which is of cast-iron, serves the 

 double purpose of a top and a condenser. The straw is then laid on 

 a perforated false bottom of iron, and the doors being closed and made 

 tight by means of screws and clamps, steam is driven in by a pipe 

 round the chambers and between the bottoms ; this penetrating the 

 mass, first removes certain volatile oils contained in the plant, and then 

 becomes condensed on the bottom of the iron tank, descending in a 

 continuous shower of condensed water, saturating the straw, and 

 forming, in fact, a decoction of the extractive matters which attach 

 the fibrous and non-fibrous portions of the plant. This liquid is drawn 

 off from time to time, and it is proposed to use the more concentrated 

 portions for feeding pigs and other animals. The process may be 

 shortened by using a pump, or such other arrangements as will repeatedly 

 wash the mass with the water, which has been allowed to accumulate in 

 the bottom of the tank. 



In about eight to twelve hours, ranging with the nature of the 

 straw operated on, the mass is removed from the chambers, and 

 having been freed from its extractive matters without decomposition, 

 it is then passed through rollers, for the purpose of removing the 

 epidermis or outer skin of the plant, of discharging the greater part 

 of the water contained in the saturated straw, and while in the wet and 

 swollen state, splitting it longitudinally. The straw being thus freed 

 from all products of decomposition, is then easily dried, and in a few 

 hours is ready for scutching, or breaking. 



In the experimental trial, personally superintended, throughout all 

 its details by the committee of the Belfast Society, a quantity of 

 flax straw, of the ordinary quality, was taken from the bulk of the 

 stock at the works, weighing 13f cwt. with the seed on. After the 

 removal of the seed, which on being cleansed thoroughly from the 



