MACHINERY. 341 



Scutching-mill ready for Travelling. 



Hand-scutching. 



By the introduction of machinery, the Association is far from de- 

 siring to supplant the original design of dressing flax by hand : for 

 they are of opinion that the finer descriptions of flax ought not to be 

 submitted to the operation of the mill, and strongly recommend the 

 formation of schools for the instruction of youths in the art of hand- 

 scutching, sorting, and general management of the crop, at the Ipswich 

 and other depots connected with our Association. 



Hand-spinning . 



In the desire to promote the spinning of linen yarn, no idea is enter- 

 tained of successful competition with flax-spinning mills ; the object 

 being simply to introduce the wheel into Schools, Orphan Asylums, 

 Magdalen Institutions, and amongst that part of our population which 

 would earn nothing through any other means. For instance, the yarn 

 spun by the child of seven years by a blind woman and that, now in 

 the form of linen, by the children of fishermen, are all evidences of the 

 utility of spinning, when, by reason of age, infirmity, and other causes, 

 the parties would have been otherwise incapable of contributing towards 

 their own maintenance. 



But with respect to those finer qualities of hand-spun yarn for which 

 our manufacturers of lace, muslin, lawn, cambric, &c. &c., pay many 

 thousands every year to foreigners, and which, it is believed, from the 

 peculiar nature of the fibre, that no machinery will ever be able to su- 

 persede a wider field, for the establishment of a lucrative branch of 

 business, is open. The Irish have already turned their attention to 

 this point, are giving prizes for the best yarns, and establishing spin- 

 ning schools, in one of which, under the patronage of Mr. Macartney, 

 of Lissanore Castle, or Mr. Birkuell, agent to the Mercers' Company, 



