172 PROCESS OF GROWING AND PREPARING FLAX. 



wooden particles to part readily by means of friction. During 

 long continued rainy weather, these shocks have to be transposed, 

 but this is done no sooner than when it may be apprehended that 

 the inside may be attacked by the so-called night-rust and putre- 

 faction. The length of time during which the flax remains in these 

 shocks depends upon the state of the weather. In favorable 

 weather it is confined from four to six or eight days, while in rainy 

 weather often several weeks are required. When the flax is dry 

 enough, it is bound up, in which operation it is freed from the dry 

 leaves yet remaining and the earth adhering to it, by being knocked 

 against the knee ; one shock will make four to six bundles. In 

 order that the seed and halms may dry yet more, these bundles 

 are laid upon poles, and these upon stones, to keep the flax off the 

 ground. In laying these stacks the bundles are put alternately 

 upon each other with root and seed ends, so that the root ends 

 project over the seed ends, in order that the seed capsulas may be 

 protected from the rain. These stacks are put up to a height of 

 seven to eight feet, with the open ends pointing in the same direc- 

 tion as the shocks. At last, bundles are laid lengthwise on the 

 east side, whereupon still another layer is put with the seed ends 

 toward the east, whereby a slope toward the west is made. For 

 further protection against rain, a layer .of straw, two to three 

 inches thick, is put on the top, projecting on both sides. To keep 

 down the straw, poles are laid over it, which are tied fast to poles 

 dug in the ground. 



The drying of the flax, which becomes necessary on account of 

 the requisite rotting-water not being at hand everywhere in sufii- 

 cient quantity, has its advantages as well as disadvantages. The 

 greatest advantage consists in getting a seed which is perfectly 

 ripe. In favorable weather, the disadvantage consists in a loss in 

 weight and flexibility. This disadvantage may be lessened, by 

 rotting the flax in the same manner as is done in the neighborhood 

 of Lokeren, where the people try to give the flax a blue color. In 

 unfavorable weather, the inside halms are much subject to night- 

 rust, or even putrefy, or become black at the ends. In such cases, 

 the flax has to be transposed oftener, from one place to another, 

 which causes much labor, and yet it does not arrest the evil 

 entirely. 



1. The Beating off and Preservation of the Seed. After the 

 flax in the stacks has become perfectly dry, it is stowed away in 



