108 FLAX CULTURE AND PREPARATION 



The accumulation of the water above B and C served as a 

 reservoir from which the ponds could easily be filled. 



A " by- wash " D takes away the overflow from C and 

 runs it into the stream A below C 1 . The water must never 

 be allowed to run over the wall B. 



Narrow cuttings E and F connect ponds 1 and 2 respectively 

 with the by- wash D, and from which either pond can be 

 filled at will. A clay wall is formed at I to increase the storage 

 of water above C. Temporary mud walls are also formed 

 at the head of E and F. The removal of either of these walls 

 permits the accumulated water in D and C to flow into the 

 required pond. A wall G of puddled clay is formed at the head 

 of No. 1 pond, near the base of which a 6 in. drain-pipe is 

 inserted to carry off the water from pond 1, through the 

 natural ditch H into the stream A. The drain -pipe is nor- 

 mally made water-tight, but is removed when it is necessary 

 to empty the pond ; simultaneously the wall D is temporarily 

 removed so as to allow the fresh water to freely mix with the 

 escaping retting water. Fig. 63 is a photograph of the two 

 ponds filled with flax and kept under water by means of 

 planks and stones. 



The straw should be placed in the pond in an inclined 

 position, about 60, roots downwards, and each succeeding 

 layer should overlap the previous and contiguous layer by 

 about two-thirds of its length. The beets should be placed 

 regularly and preferably somewhat loose rather than over- 

 crowded. It is a safe rule to give the flax an abundance of 

 water it is injured more by too little rather than too much. 

 Never allow it to sink to the bottom, keep it in suspension 

 and floating 2 or 3 in. below the surface. The beets may be 

 weighted and kept under the water by stones, sods or planks 

 and cross pieces of timber on which heavy stones or open 

 half -barrels filled with water are placed. This plan is pre- 

 ferable to stones or sods, as by this means it is possible to keep 

 the flax under more uniform control and at the desired suspen- 

 sion. When the retting is nearing completion the flax begins 



