OF THE COUNTY OF DOWN. 93 



the water it is kept, until by the feel it is judged to be 

 fit for grading, that is, to be fpread as thin and as re- 

 gularly as poffible upon a meadow or pafture field, 

 until the procefs begun in the water is completed by 

 the fun and rain ; the advantage of a dry day is then 

 taken, when it is lifted tied in bundles or beets, and fo 

 kept until it is fent to the mill. Some perfons have the 

 firft operations (after it is houfed) of breaking and 

 making it into handfuls performed at home, others 

 have them performed at the mills ; the firft is reckoned 

 the fafeft, the laft the moft expeditious. In all opera- 

 tions the flax muft be dry, or it will work unkindly 

 (the provincialifm), and be attended with lofs; at the 

 mill it is finally freed, by beetling and fcotching, from 

 the pith or inner part, which, being totally ufelefs for 

 any purpofe of manufacture, or, I believe, of manure, 

 is thrown -away. G raffing flax is a tedious procefs, 

 which often confumes many weeks, and at a time 

 when, the former year's crop being nearly exhaufted, 

 the price is ufually high. The following fpeedy and 

 effectual method of preparing it for the mill was lately 

 communicated to me by a gentleman of veracity, and 

 (kill in rurkl matters. Let the flax be watered the 

 ufual time; then take it out, and fpread it fo as to dry 

 it completely ; then tie it into fheaves as at firft, and 

 immerfe it in water a fecond time for twenty-four 

 hours, after which, when dried, it will be completely 

 fit for the mill. This method, 1 underftand, is much 



praclifedl 



