Cultivation of Arable Land.~-Flav Rippling of, 



capfules beginning to crack and open. This generally happens towards the 

 latter end of July or beginning of Auguft. 



In pulling, the flax is laid in fmall parcels or beats upon the furface of the 

 ground, in fuch a pofition as that it may have the full benefit of the fun. It is 

 then to be tied up, and conveyed as foon as poffible to the place of watering, 

 As where this fort of crop is cultivated upon a large fcale, from the great differ 

 ence in the foil and other caufes, there will be considerable variations in the 

 quality of the flax, fome being fine, others coarfe; fome long, and others fhort ; 

 care mould be taken at the time of pulling to feparatc and put the different forts 

 together ; as by this means the injuries fuftained by fubjecting flax of fuch different 

 qualities to the fame operations and proceffes may be avoided. It has been remarked 

 by an intelligent writer, that inattention in flax cultivators to this neceffary 

 precaution, is the chief caufe why crops of this kind often turn out of fo little value, 

 and the principal reafon of the fmallnefs of the proportion of fuch flax as is of a 

 good quality in comparifon with that of the tow or inferior fort : the different manu 

 facturers, in the courfe of their operations, being under the neceflity, on account 

 of the mixed condition in which they receive it from the cultivators, to reduce 

 the quality of the whole to a much lower degree than would be requifite if the 

 different kinds were forted at the time of pulling the crops, and delivered under 

 fuch circumftances.* 



When the feed is intended to be faved, it is the ufual practice in pulling the 

 crop to place the handfuls partly acrofs each other, as by this means the bufinefs 

 of rippling is greatly facilitated, the operators not having the trouble of feparating 

 them from the large bundles. 



The operation of rippling mould be performed as foon as poflibleafter the crops 

 have been pulled. This is accomplimed by means of a fort of iron comb with 

 ftrong triangular teeth of considerable length, fet upright, pretty clofely together, 

 and fixed upon a ftrong flat piece of wood, fo as that the operators can fit at each 

 end, and by frequently flriking the feed- end of the flax upon it, and pulling it 

 through with rapidity, the feed pods are forced off with much expedition, and in 

 a very perfect manner. Where the feed thus obtained is intended to bepreferved, 

 a large cloth fhould be fpread out previoufly in fome convenient fituation for the 

 purpofe of receiving it from the ripple, and it fhould be immediately afterwards fpread 

 cut thinly, and expofed to the fun, till the capfules containing it become perfectly 

 r rifp and dry j they are then to be broken and the feed feparated from them by 



* Donaldfon s Prefent State of Agriculture, vol. III. 



