SCUTCHING 



127 



a gentle shaking, so that the individual straws are free to 

 fall by gravity all to the same level. 



109. Breaking the Dry Flax Straw. When it is considered 

 that the flax fibres surround the hard woody central part of 



' n 

 tr j 



FIG. 76 



the straw, it is evident that the greatest care must be taken 

 to avoid any injury to the fibres, when breaking the boon. 

 The more effectually the boon is broken before exposing the 

 flax to the scutching blades, the greater will be the output 

 and the larger the yield of scutched flax per ton of straw, and 

 the cleaner and better the quality. Various mechanical 

 devices have been conceived, including numerous modifications, 



