112 FLAX CULTURE AND PREPARATION 



The retting of flax in the slow moving waters of the River 

 Lys in Belgium, is the most typical of retting in rivers. 



The Lys rises in France, and after flowing through its north- 

 ern part, it enters and passes through Western Flanders, 

 until it joins the River Scheldt, near Ghent. 



The waters of the Lys are very deep and sluggish the flow 

 is about three quarters of a mile per hour. The water is soft 

 and contains a large amount of organic matter from the towns 

 and villages on its banks, which, together with the enormous 

 and continuous retting carried on, favours the propagation 

 and continuous supply of bacteria (belonging to the putre- 

 factive group) necessary to retting which sufficiently replaces 

 any quantity that may be carried down the stream. This is 

 especially true during the midsummer months as it is well 

 known that the retting is much slower in the earlier days of 

 the retting season. 



Steeping commences about the middle of April and con- 

 tinues until the beginning of October. The operation provides 

 employment for hundreds of men to whom the work is a regular 

 trade, and hence they have become very proficient in the art. 

 Flax growers and dealers from near and far send their flax 

 straw to be retted in the River Lys. 



The flax is placed in wooden crates, which vary in size and 

 form, generally 12 ft. long, 8, 10 or 12 ft. wide, and 4 ft. 

 deep. 



The beets are arranged alternately heads and roots, and 

 packed closely and evenly in the crates. The tops are covered 

 with straw or other material, and tied across in about three 

 places, and the sides with coarse canvas or bagging so that 

 the water oozes rather than flows through the crates. 



The filled crates are moved out into the river about 10 or 

 12 ft. from the bank, and there submerged by weights until 

 the tops are about 3 or 4 in. below the surface of the water. 

 The crates are moored to the bank with strong cords and 

 kept in a floating condition until the retting is completed, 

 which varies from six to nine days, according to the 



