28 



irANl'FACrrHKS of RUSSIA. 



The best known steeped flax comes from the g-overment of Pskov; it really 

 belongs to the 2n(i class, but then the quantity of the 1st class steeped flax is in 

 general very small. The best qualltes of spread flax come from Vologda and are 

 used for spinning Nos. 140 to 160 yarn. These high class qualities are for the most 

 part used in the Eussian factories. On the average the Pskov flax yields after combing 

 42 per cent suitable for spinning Nos. 30 to 50 yarn, and 52 per cent of combings 

 for Nos. 10 to 18; the Vologda flax yields 46 per cent of combed flax suitable for 

 Nos. 50 to 80, and 50 per cent of combings for Nos. 14 to 24. 



Besides stripped flax a considerable quantity of tow is made by intentionally 

 working flax into combings by means of very primitive kinds of hackles. The Sibe- 

 rean and Crimean tow are the most highly prized and are often not inferior to good 

 quality stripped flax. In 1889 the price of all kinds of tow was only 10 per cent 

 below that of stripped flax. The best kind of hemp for spinning yarn comes from the 

 government of Smolensk; it is remarkable for its fineness, strength and silkiness of 

 fibre; the most suitable for rope-making comes from the government of Orlov. 



The import of foreign goods into Russia. 



The import of yarn, rope and other cordage fiom 1877 to 1891 is given in the 

 following table : 



