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length in the direction of their axels — thus avoiding at the same time the 

 danger of tearing the fibres, as in the hand rippHng, and the necessity of 

 subsequently thrashing the seeds from the capsules. The flax thus dried 

 may require a little longer steeping afterwards. Even whon there is no 

 intention of saving it, the seed should be still "rippled," or otherwise 

 taken off, as, in the operation of retting about to be described, it causes 

 premature putrefaction, by which the flax is much injured ; the imper- 

 fectly ripened seed thus saved will serve to be pressed for oil, &c. From 

 six to eight, but sometimes from ten to twelve, bushels of seed are pro- 

 duced from an acre. 



After rippling, the next operation is to expose the flax plants to a de- 

 gree of acetous fermentation, termed "retting" or "rotting," to facilitate 

 the future separation of the woody from the fibrous parts. The two 

 most usual and general modes of doing this are known as water retting 

 and dew retting. In water retting, Avhen the flax has been cleared of its 

 seeds, it is loosely tied up at each end in small bundles, and placed in an 

 inclined position with its roots downwards, in pools or ponds three or 

 four feet deep, filled with soft and nearly stagnant Avater — any water hav- 

 ing mineral impregnations to be carefully avoided. These ponds should 

 be made with facilities to change the Avater at pleasure. It is desir- 

 able that the bands for tieing up the bundles should be of bass, or other 

 suitable material of little or no value, for if the flax itself is used, that 

 part employed for bands becomes of flecked uneven color. The color of 

 the flax generally is improved by a small stream of water continually 

 passing through the ponds during the steeping, which, even from a stream 

 comparatively soft, should be exposed to the atmosphere in these ponds at 

 least a week before being used, in order to be further warmed and soft- 

 ened by its influence ; but if from a spring of hard water, a much longer 

 time of exposure to the air is necessary. The time required for steeping 

 varies from a week to a fortnight, and depends upon the warmth of the 

 weather, as well as upon the state of ripeness of the flax ; the only cer- 

 tain criterion, by which to decide when the flax is sufficiently steeped, is 

 the moment when the boon, or ligneous part, becomes brittle and separ- 

 ates easily from the fibrous ; that is to say, when the rind will strip from 

 a piece of the stem six or eight inches long, without breaking or tearing 

 the fibre, or leaving any adhering. 



This turn in the operation is very rapid, and therefore requires the 

 most exact judgment and the closest attention ; for if too long steeped, the 



