122 FLAX CULTURE AND PREPARATION 



incubators are then run off into open pails which are 

 immediately emptied into the retting vats. 



For the above process of retting, a series of four contiguous 

 retting vats of reinforced concrete are prepared. Each vat 

 measures approximately 8x2x3 metres in length, width 

 and depth respectively, is of about 50 cubic metres capacity, 

 and will hold about 5,000 kilogrammes or 50 tons of water. 

 Ten tons of water capacity is required for every ton of good 

 quality of un-retted dry flax straw packed tightly in the vat. 

 Experience has demonstrated that it is more economical to 

 construct vats of double or larger capacity. 



The beets of flax straw may be laid side by side in continuous 

 rows in the vat until it is quite full. The beets are kept in 

 position by adjustably fixing long and narrow pieces of wood 

 across the vats so as to prevent the straw rising above the 

 surface of the water when the vat is subsequently filled. 



The water is supplied to the vats through a 3-in. pipe fitted 

 with a valve tap, and requires about five hours to fill. It 

 is raised to and maintained at an average temperature of 28 

 to 30 C. = 82-4 - 86 F. The heating of the water is accom- 

 plished by blowing steam through the perforations of a 3-in. 

 diameter pipe. The steam pipes are designed to pass 

 through the centre and along the bottom of each side of 

 the vat. 



The total area of the perforations in the pipes, either for 

 steam or air, should not exceed 90 per cent, of the area of the 

 cross section of the feeding pipe, and the perforations should 

 increase in number or size towards the terminals of the pipe 

 to ensure an even distribution of the steam or air. At this 

 juncture the pure culture bouillon (nutritive liquid) as origin- 

 ally prepared by Prof. Rossi, is introduced into the vats in 

 sufficient quantity to meet the requirements of any given 

 sized vat and to immediately start and accelerate the process 

 of fermentation. 



Subsequent preparations of the culture bouillon can be 

 prepared (from given formula) by any employee of average 



