264 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



dom rises again. The weediDg sliould be done before the flax 

 exceeds six inches in height. 



Pulling. 



The time Avhen flax should be pulled is a point of much nicety 

 to determine; The fibre is in the best state before the seed ia 

 quite ripe. If pulled too soon, although the fibre is fine, the great 

 waste in scutching and hackling renders it unprofitable ; and if 

 pulled too late, the additional weight does not compensate for 

 the coarseness of the fibre. It may be stated, that the best time 

 for pulling is when the seeds are beginning to change from a 

 green to a pale brown color, and the stalk to become yellow for 

 about two-thirds of its height from the ground. When any of 

 the crop is lying and suffering from wet, it should be pulled as 

 soon as possible, and kept by itself. So long as the ground is 

 undrained, and imperfectly leveled before sowing, the flax will be 

 found of difierent lengths. In such cases, pull each length sepa- 

 rately, and, if possible, keep it separate in the pool. Where there 

 is much second groAvth the flax should be caught by the puller 

 just underneath the bolls, which will leave the short stalks be- 

 hind. If the latter be few, it is best not to pull them at all, as 

 the loss from mixture and discoloration by weeds would counter- 

 balance the profit. If the ground has been thorough-drained, and 

 laid out evenly, the flax will likely be all of the same length. It 

 is most essential to take time and care to keep the flax even, like 

 a brush, at the root ends. This increases the value to the spin- 

 ner, and, of course, to the grower, who will be amply repaid by 

 an additional price for his extra trouble. Let the handfuls of 

 pulled flax be laid across each other diagonally, to be ready for the 



Rippling. 



Rippling should be carried on at the same time, and in 

 the same field with the pulling. If the only advantage to 

 be derived from rippling was the comparative ease with which 

 rippled flax is handled, the practice ought to be adopted ; but, 

 besides this, the seed is a very valuable part of the crop, 

 either for the oil mill, or for feeding purposes at home. The 

 apparatus is very simple. The ripple consists of a row of iron 

 teeth screwed into a block of wood. This may be made by any 

 handy blacksmith.* It is to be taken to the field, where the flax 



* The best ripples fire made of half-inch square rods of iron, placed with the angles of iron 

 next the ripplers, 3-16ths of an inch asunder at the bottom, half an inch at the top, and IB 

 inches long, to allow a sufficient spring, and save much breaking of flax. The points should 

 begin to taper three inches from the top. 



