68 FLAX CULTURE AND PREPARATION 



When the growing flax stems are of different lengths due 

 to any cause of indifferent preparation or variety of soils, or 

 mixture of two or more classes of seed, a careful cultivator 

 and preparer of flax will first pull the longer stalks by catching 

 them just underneath the seed bolls. The shorter lengths of 

 flax are then taken at the second handful or, alternately, by 

 followers. 



Different lengths of flax should, as far as possible, be kept 

 separate. If they are pulled and retted together, the shorter 

 lengths fall out of the bundles into the tow and waste during 

 the scutching operation. Adherence to the foregoing details 

 requires time and care, but they are well worth attention. 

 Flax pulled in wet weather does not dry evenly. The beets 

 should weigh from 7 to 10 Ibs. each. Eight flax pullers of 

 average ability will pull a statute acre of flax per day ; an 

 exceptionally good man, 15 stocks per day of ten hours. A 

 stook contains 12 beets of 24 in. to 27 in. circumference. 80 

 to 90 stocks should be harvested from each statute acre, or 

 an equivalent of 40 to 50 stocks for each bushel of seed sown. 



68. Flax-Pulling Machines. The incomparable utility of 

 flax for aeroplane fabrics, apart from the increasing apprecia- 

 tion of linen for household purposes, decoration, and personal 

 apparel and use, makes it increasingly evident that the growth, 

 preparation, and supply of flax fibre for the linen industry 

 must not only be maintained but materially increased in 

 quantity of production. 



Further, the raw material for the flax spinner and linen 

 manufacturer and the seed for sowing or feeding must be 

 offered in the markets at prices which compare favourably 

 with the price of raw materials used in contemporary and 

 competing trades. 



The attainment of these objects involves the creation and 

 introduction of new and improved mechanical or other 

 means of harvesting the flax crops. 



The usual method of pulling flax by hand is relatively slow 

 and expensive. It is with the view of expediting the 



