136 On Flax Mills. 



to store the flax as it comes to the mill, are all the 

 buildings required. The works consist of a water 

 wheel, a cog wheel, and three sets of flyers on one 

 axle for cleaning. Each set is birthed off" with boards 

 to secure the men, and a small space is left between 

 the inside of the births and the ends of the flyers, to 

 hold the flax against them : there are three fluted rol- 

 lers like the nuts of an apple mill, that work on their 

 sides for breaking. These rollers are best made of 

 apple tree wood, the swingle must be of a wood, the 

 texture of which is close, and not apt to splinter. The 

 swingles have six arms in each stand, but there are 

 only four in the model. 



Three men are a full complement for a mill : if they 

 roll and swingle at one time, one of the men leaves his 

 place at the swingles, and attends the rollers : the 

 owner of the flax in Ireland, kept a person to make up 

 the flax in handfulls, and to attend the^ man at the 

 rollers. In rolling the flax, there is a pulley and a 

 weight fixed to the end of the two extreme rollers, so 

 that they may compress or expand upon the center 

 roller, in proportion as there is more or less flax given 

 in. The flax is put in between the two upper ones, 

 and is shot out between the two under rollers. The 

 rollers and flyers will work independently of one an- 

 other. I understand it is allowed good work for a man 

 to break and swingle 60 pounds in a week : if he 

 works by the pound he has six cents per pound ; if by 

 the day, he will not do so much, so that at any rate he 

 has board and drink over mill price, and allowing two 

 dollars for those, the 60 pounds will cost three pence a 

 pound more than if done at mill, neither will it be s© 



