SCUTCIIIKG. 



63 



it is requisite to have, as in Flanders and Germany, a 

 small chamber specially devoted to the purpose, with a 

 low ceiling, and an opening above, to allow the vapours to 

 make their escape. The flax is set upright in little hand- 

 fuls on convenient shelves, and the heating is effected by 

 means of a stove whose door is outside the chamber, to 

 avoid the risk of fire. At first, the fire is kept low, and 

 maintained at a moderate heat for some little time. As 

 soon as it is found that no more steam escapes from the 

 upper opening, the temperature is raised for a while, and 

 in a short time the operation is completed. The flax is 

 taken out, and allowed to cool, and may then be sub- 

 mitted to the process of bruising. 



The flax being weathered, or dried, either in the sun- 

 shine, which is by far the best mode, or artificially, which 

 should be only adopted upon compulsion, is next sub- 

 mitted to the process of bruising, the first step of which 

 is performed with, the mail, or mallet. The workman 

 unties a sheaf of flax, spreads half of it evenly on the 

 barn-floor before him, only in exactly a reversed position 

 to the flax as represented in our former cut of the 

 thrashing. Eor bruising, the head of the flax lies to- 

 wards the work- 

 man. He sets his 

 foot upon the por- 

 tion which is to re- 

 ceive the stroke, 

 and thenbeats it , for 

 half its length, from 

 the root upwards, 

 with a curved-han- 

 dled, heavy-headed, 

 indented mallet, of 

 which we give a 

 figure, with dimen- 

 sions. The head of 

 the mallet weighs 

 about two pounds ^ * MaUet for bruising flax. 



and a half, and is made of apple-tree or ash, the handle 



