No. 112.] 93 



At first sight it may seem surprising that flax should be im- 

 ported for manufacture, remembering the vast exports of seed from 

 this country to supply European markets. It appears, upon exam- 

 ination that a ojreat change has been effected in ten years. To go 

 no farther back than five or six years, it is known by our general 

 census that the cultivation of flax has dwindled away from a 

 product of about three millions of pounds in this State, to nine 

 hundred and forty thousand pounds. Hence, doubtless, the ne- 

 cessity for its present import. 



The establishment of this factory will probably lead the way to 

 the erection of others, and the invention of economic systems of 

 fabrication, whereby the cohesion of the fibre, the separation of 

 the woody particles, and other preparations for spinning, as well 

 as manufacture into linen. 



Such establishments as the American Linen Thread Company, 

 when carefully and wisely conducted soon become the parents of 

 automatic systems, economising labor, expediting the products and 

 eventually commanding success, in competition with the skill and 

 ingenuity of other nations. 



Upon a close examination of the various specimens of thread 

 presented by this company, it was evident that skill directed their 

 works. The extension and twisting of the filaments were performed 

 with a uniformity surprising to an unpracticedeye. There seem- 

 ed to be a parallelism of fibre for strength, held together by a 

 firm twist and possibly cemented together by the natural gluten 

 of the plant. 



The samples of white thread showed a fine polished surface of 

 silvery hue, very attractive — the bleached whit^' was no less beau- 

 tiful. The colored samples exhibit about two hundrtd shades,' 

 many of them of rich tints, though a few were dull — the colored 

 threads were also highly finished. An economic feature in this 

 association is, the consumption of the tow for useful purposes. 



Judging the whole products of the American Linen Thread 

 Company by the samples presented for examination, they are en- 

 titled to strong recommendation and encouragement. 



