Cultivation of Flax in Belgium. 175 



" The principal characteristic of the filament obtained by M. 

 Lefebure's process (by alkalis) is the admirable way in which 

 the fibres are separated without affecting the quality of the flax. 

 This filament possesses a brilliancy, fineness, regularity, strength, 

 and uniformity of colour, such as we have never seen produced 

 by any other system of steeping. 



" The thread is longer and more elastic than that produced by 

 the ordinary systems, and the linen far superior. 



" The results will be the more evident, in proportion as the 

 filament becomes employed with means appropriate to its special 

 character. 



" M. Lefebure's process is based upon a combination of che- 

 mical and mechanical appliances. Let the time required, the 

 quantity of liquid, and the substance it contains, be what they 

 may, the flax in the bundles is as uniform after as before 

 immersion ; they preserve a uniformity of colour, which indi- 

 cates the regularity of the action, as well as its efficacy ; it, 

 moreover, realises simultaneously the effect which in the other 

 systems requires two distinct operations at long intervals. 



"Thus, according to the present system, with its indifferent 

 effects, it is necessary, in order to avoid accidents, to stop the 

 operation before the textile matter is relieved of the gum, 

 thereby causing grey and dark tints in the thread and tissues, 

 and the necessity of ' ungumming,' discharging, the gum from 

 them later, as thread, or when already made up into linen, and 

 often in both cases. This occasions loss of time and money, 

 an expense of from 20 to 25 per cent, on each kilogramme of 

 thread, and considerable waste. 



" By M. Lefebure's system the steeping and cremage (term 

 applied to the second operation generally performed to extract 

 the gum) can be done simultaneously in twelve hours (the 

 maximum required), instead of the twelve days required for the 

 ordinary steeping, or sixty hours, according to the American 

 system. 



" We should add, that although the system of Lefdbure com- 

 prises operations and manipulations, requiring care and an 

 intelligent superintendence, it presents no difficulty whatever in 

 its application. Any one commonly conversant with the ordi- 

 nary process of sorting and manipulating flax can be easily 

 initiated in the new method. 



" A question of vital importance to persons desirous of inves- 

 tigating practically a new system of steeping, is to know what 

 amount of good filament can be obtained from a given quantity 

 of flax. 



"The proportion varies from 10 to 18 and 20 per cent.; in 

 the actual state of things the variation must depend — 



