12S AGRICULrURAL MUSEURJt 



ject to receive (damage from rain, or more difficuU tohu 

 preserver! in a stack. 



5th. Rotting by water may he performed at any time, 

 if occasion require, instantly as it is puled, by sterping 

 it in a, large vat or pool of water; in the latter case^ 

 some rails or poles, should be put under the first layer, 

 to keep it from the mud, and something; of the same 

 kind laid on top to sink it rather below the surface of the 

 water ; in this state it should remain until the hards or 

 stem be entirely rotten, and until the lint or skin appears 

 to the. towch to be rotten also; and to an unexperienced 

 pprson to be almost intirely spoiled ; then is the proper 

 time to take it out of the water, which, if in the heat of 

 summer, ought to be done late in the evening of the day, 

 and spread on the grass to dry ; otherwise if spread out 

 in the morning, the sudden approach of heat, if verj' vi- 

 olent, may much injure the strength, render it when drest 

 very harsh, and give it a bad Sun-burnt appearance ; 

 whereas if it meets with, a favourable, cold, cloudy and 

 moist time, at the first part of spreading out, and so tem- 

 perately dry by degrees, it will acquire great strength, 

 be. extremeJy soft and pliant when drest^ and of a fine, 

 silver-like shining colour. 



Rotting by dew cannot well be done during the hot 

 season ; the latter end of September, or beginning of Oc- 

 tober is the best season for that operation ; for which 

 the Flax should be carefully spread in rows on smooth 

 ground, on short grass, or on the late sowed wheat 

 field, to which it will do lao damage, there it may lie for 

 two, three or four weeks, according to the moisture of 

 the weather, when it should be carefully tut ned, by run- 

 ning a long smooth stick resembling a pitch fork handle 

 under it, and so with great care turning over about three 

 or four feet at a stroke. In about three weeks longer if 

 the weather be moist, it may be sufficiently rotted ; how- 

 ever before wc proceed to take it np, trial of a smal! 

 quantity is made at the brake ; m hen we are convinced, 

 thai it is sufficiently done, it is taken up by hand, and tied 

 in large bundles with bands of wheat or rye straw; hi 



