189 



FLAX, or LINE.— LINUM. 



Natural order, Grecinales. A genus of the 

 Pentandria Pentagynia class. 



The Greeks called this vegetable Alvov, 

 and the Latins had no other name for it than 

 Linum, both in its growing state and when 

 prepared for the spinner ; hence the Italians 

 and Spaniards have derived the word Lino ; 

 and the French, Lin. The ancient Britons 

 called it Lyne from the same source. The 

 word Flax is derived from the Saxon Fleax\ or 

 Flex; but we still term it Linseed and Linen 

 cloth, although when speaking of the plant 

 we call it Flax. 



We know twenty-two species of linum, 

 four of which are said to be indigenous to 

 our soil. 



The flax is scarcely superior in appearance 

 to the common grass ; yet on no other vege- 

 table has the ingenuity of man been so ex- 

 tensively employed, or exerted with such 

 success. 



