PROCEEDINGS OF THE FARMEES' CLUB. 265 



is being pulled, and screwed down to the centre of a nine feet 

 plank, resting on two stools. The ripplers may either stand or 

 sit astride at opposite ends. They should be at such a distance 

 from the comb as to permit of their striking it properly and alter- 

 nately. A winnowing sheet must be placed under them, to receive 

 the bolls as they are rippled off; and then the ripplers are ready 

 to receive the flax just pulled, the handfuls being placed diagon- 

 ally, and bound up in a sheaf. The sheaf is laid down at the 

 right hand of the rippler and untied. He takes a handful with 

 one hand, about six inches from the root, and a little nearer the 

 top with the other. He spreads the top of the handful like a 

 fan, draws the one-half of it through the comb, and the other 

 half past the side ; and, by a half-turn of the wrist, the same 

 operation is repeated with the rest of the bunch. 



Some, however, prefer rippling without turning the hand, giving 

 the flax one or two pulls through, according to the quantity of 

 bolls. The flax can often be rippled without being passed more 

 than once through the comb. He then lays the handfuls down 

 at his left side, each hdidful crossing the other, when the sheaf 

 should be carefully tied up and removed. The object of crossing 

 the handfuls so carefully, after rippling, when tying up the beets 

 for the steep, is that they will part freely from each other when 

 they are taken to spread out on the grass, and not interlock and 

 be put out of their even order, as would otherwise be the case. 

 If the weather be fine, the bolls should be kept in the field, spread 

 on winnow-cloths, or other contrivance for drying ; and if turned 

 from time to time they will soon dry. Passing the bolls first 

 through a coarse riddle, and afterwards through fanners, to re- 

 move straws and leaves, will facilitate the drying. If the weather 

 be moist, they should be taken in-doors, and spread out thinly 

 and evenly on a barn-floor, or on a loft, leaving windows and 

 doors open to allow a thorough current of air, and turned twice 

 a day. When nearly dry, they may be taken to a corn kiln 

 (taking care not to raise it above summer heat) pud carefully 

 turned until no moisture remains. By the above plan of slow 

 drying the seed has time to imbibe all the juices that remain in 

 the husk, and to become perfectly ripe. If it be taken afonce 

 from the field, and dried hurriedly on the kiln, these juices will 

 be burned up, and the seed will become shrivelled and parched, 

 little nutritious matter remaining. In fine seasons the bolls 

 should always be dried in the open air, the seed thrashed out, 



