THE FLAX PLANT. 277 
One of the earliest among those who directed their attention to the che- 
mical composition of flax, was a distinguished member of this Association, Sir 
Robert Kane. Since that time analyses of the ash of the straw of flax have 
been published by Professor Johnston of Durham; by Messrs. Mayer and 
Brazier, and by Mr. Way in England ; by Leuchtweiss in Germany ; and by 
the reporter. The only examination however of the proximate constituents 
of the plant, so far as I am aware, consists of an analysis of the seed by Leo 
Mayer. It is, indeed, strange that a plant, the straw of which has afforded oc- 
cupation to the industry of so large a portion of the world in all ages, and the 
preparation of which, for commercial purposes, consists in acting upon its 
proximate constituents, should not have been more carefully studied. Having 
been for some time engaged with investigations in this important department, 
I shall, on some other occasion, bring forward the details of my analyses. At 
present I shall merely state the general results of the examination of a spe- 
cimen of flax-straw taken from the experimental crop. A preliminary exa- 
mination having indicated the presence of a volatile oil, a quantity of the 
stems of the plant, carefully deprived of the seed capsules, was distilled with 
water containing common salt, and from the distillate, which was without 
action on litmus, I obtained an oil of a yellow colour; 5 lbs. of the fully- 
grown fresh stems afforded about 10 grs. of this oil, which had an agreeable 
penetrating odour, and suggested the peculiar smell which is remarked on 
entering a room where flax is stored. In my examination of the proximate 
constituents of the plant, the straw, coarsely powdered, was placed in an 
extraction apparatus, and successively treated with ether, absolute alcohol, 
water, dilute hydrochloric acid, and weak solution of potash. The solutions 
obtained on examination were found to contain a fat oil, wax, traces of chlo- 
rophyle, a peculiar green resin, a gum resin, which presented some of the 
characters of the principle which Pagenstecher termed linine, and described 
as existing in the Linum catharticum or “purging flax,” but could not be 
identified with it, a modification of tannic acid, which afforded a gray preci- 
pitate with perchloride of iron, but was not affected by solutions of isinglass 
or tartar emetic, gum, not affected by solution of borax or basic silicate of 
potash, a brown colouring matter, albumen, caseine, starch, pectine, cellulose, 
and salts. The following table exhibits the action of the various solvents 
employed :-— 

1. Soluble in wether ........ kd se had 2°83 
9, Soluble in absolute aleohol ...... eae, 
3. Soluble in water ......-....+..-- 5:92 
4. In dilute hydrochloric acid ........ 22°76 
5. In dilute solution of caustic potash.. 16°39 
6. Cellulose and salts.............0.. 48°58 
100:00 
[ shall now proceed to the fourth division of the subject, and describe the 
various methods which are adopted for the purpose of preparing the flax 
plant for the spinner. I shall not in this place allude to the economy of its 
seed, but confine myself to the management of the fibre of the plant, to 
a which, of superior quality, is the main object of the flax-growers of 
ster. 
When a portion of the straw, as it is termed, of the flax plant is examined, 
it is found to consist of three parts: first, of a woody, central, hollow column, 
which the microscope shows to be composed of cellular tissue ; second, of a 
tubular sheath, composed of long and firm bast-cells; and thirdly, of a deli- 
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