STEEPING, EETTIj*r&, OH WATERING. 57 



fitted to the other. Thus covered, it never sinks to the 

 bottom, nor is affected by air or light. It is generally 

 watered in from eleven to thirteen days. A good stream, 

 shonld, if possible, always pass over the pond ; it carries 

 off impurities, and does not at all impede due fermenta- 

 tion flood and all impure water should be carefully kept 

 off. The Dutch test of being sufficiently watered is 

 certain and perfect, as I never found it otherwise. It is 

 this : try some stalks of average fineness, by breaking 

 the woody part in two places about three inches apart, 

 at the middle of the length ; catch the wood at the lower 

 end, and if it will pull out (downwards) for those three 

 inches, freely, without breaking or tearing the fibre, it is 

 ready to take out. This trial should be made every day, 

 after fermentation subsides ; for sometimes change is 

 rapid. Flax is more frequently injured by too little than 

 too much of the water. Great care and neatness are 

 necessary in taking out. Broken or crumpled flax will 

 never reach the market. Spread the day it is taken out, 

 unless it is heavy rain, light rain does little harm ; but 

 in any case, spread the next day, for it will heat in the 

 pile, and that heating is destructive. 



" It should be spread even, straight at its length, not 

 too thick, and well shaken, so that there shall be no 

 clots ; indeed, if possible, no two stalks should adhere. 

 I have ever found it injurious to keep it long on the 

 grass ; it is in the steep the wood is decomposed ; on the 

 grass the fibre is softened, and the wood little, if at all, 

 affected. I rarely let it lie more than five days, some- 

 times only three. It should never, if possible, be spread 

 on the ground flax grows on : it claps down, and the clay 

 and weeds discolour it ; clean lea or lately cut meadow is 

 the best. 



" The lifting of the flax, like all other operations, re- 

 quires care and neatness, to keep it straight to its length, 

 and even at the roots. This operation is too frequently 

 hurried, and coarsely done. 



" "With regard to drying, if the steeping and the 

 grassing have been perfect, flax should require no fire ; 



