296 EUROPEAN AGRICULTURE. 



stalk to become yellow, for about two thirds of its height from 

 the ground.&quot; An eminent cultivator gives this advice, in re 

 gard to determining the ripeness of flax : &quot; Try the flax every 

 day, when approaching ripeness, by cutting the ripest capsule, 

 on an average stock, across, (horizontally:) and when the seeds 

 have changed from the white milky substance, which they first 

 show to a greenish color, pretty firm, then is the time to pull. 

 The old prejudice in favor of much ripening is most injurious, 

 even as regards quantity ; and the usual test of the stalk strip 

 ping at the root, and turning yellow, should not be depended 

 on.&quot; The prevalent practice is, almost universally, to overripen 

 the crop. 



If the ground has been properly prepared, by draining and 

 levelling, the crop may be expected to be of equal length j but 

 where this is not the case, then the puller should be directed to 

 seize the longest stems in his hand, and, having pulled them, lay 

 them by themselves, and next pull the shorter stems, keeping 

 each handful separate, as it is of great importance to keep the 

 flax of equal length. It is urged, as very essential, to keep the 

 flax even, like a brush, at the root-ends j and in none of the after 

 processes should the short and the long be intermixed. 



6. RIPPLING. The rippling of flax is a process by which 

 the seed bolls are separated from the stalk. This is done by 

 drawing them through an iron comb, which is formed with iron 

 teeth fastened into a board or bench. The seed bolls are some 

 times dried in kilns ; but by this process they are very apt to be 

 injured, and their valuable properties reduced. They should, 

 therefore, be dried in the sun, and the seed threshed out. The 

 light seed, and the bolls or chaff, are to be used as feed for stock, 

 for which purpose they are eminently nutritious. 



7. STEEPING. The rippling or combing off the seed being per 

 formed, the next step is that of steeping the flax. This is to be 

 conveyed, then, as soon as may be, to a pond of water, quite free 

 from all impurities, and especially from all mineral mixtures, 

 which are always pernicious to the plant. If the water is spring 

 water, it is advised to let the pond be filled some days before the 

 steeping, that it may have the advantage of the sun upon it. 

 The flax is then to be laid in the pond, two or more layers in 



