330 
them down, as is done with a corn crop, for the reason that however 
carefully the crop may be cut a certain amount of fibre will be lost. 
By pulling, it is also possible to keep the flax free from weeds and 
to keep the plants straight. When the whole crop is of a similar 
length harvesting is easier than when it varies, for in the latter case 
it is necessary to keep the various lengths together as much as 
possible. As the plants are pulled, the soil is knocked from the 
roots and they are laid in small heaps to be afterwards tied in 
bundles, care being taken to keep the stems whole and the fibre 
blemished. 
In some cases the straw is retted almost at once but in other 
of drawing the upper part of the straw through an iron comb placed 
horizontally over a large sheet or tarpaulin when the work is carried 
on in the field, or over a clean barn floor when conducted indoors. 
Threshing is carried out by spreading the flax on hard floors and 
beating the heads with mallets. The former method is, however, 
considered the better as the flax can be kept straighter and cleaned 
of impurities during the process. 
e first operation in the separation of the fibre from the straw 
is known as retting. ‘This is sometinies accomplished by spreading 
the straw thinly, in straight lines, over grass fields and leaving it 
to the action of the weather until the fibre can be easily detached 
from the waste material. Even when the greatest care is exercised, 
however, it is a somewhat unsatisfactory method, and preference is 
usually given to water-retting. This may be accomplished in 
several ways. A system of pools or ,tanks, in which the depth is 
‘sufficient to allow of the plants being covered with water when 
almost upright, may be arranged within easy access of a river; 
crates sunk in a river may be used ; a backwater of a river or a 
deep ditch may be requisitioned ; or the retting may take place in 
heated tanks, The flax is placed loosely in tank or crate in regular 
rows with the roots sloping slightiy downwards. When filled, a 
layer -of rushes or straw is placed over the flax and on this, tough 
turves and stones are placed to weight down the flax. Fermentation 
‘is set up, which is allowed to continue until the fibre separates 
readily from the wood. The flax is then lifted out of the water 
and is Lee over grass or stubble fields to dry. If the water be 
. 
~ drawn off before the flax is removed from the tanks a certain 
ce of grassing, lifting, seutching, &c., may be obtained in the 
articles alre erred to, but it is unlikely that the average 
_ inspection of fibre experts. 4 - 
