FLAX. 



21 



Siberian Flax Linum Sibiricum. 



The fibres of this plant are employed in the manu- 

 facture of coarse cloth. They are found to be very 

 strong, but not so white or fine as those obtained from 

 the common flax. The Siberian perennial flax has 

 the advantage, however, as its name indicates, of 

 having a root which continues for many years, annu- 

 ally shooting up stalks, and requiring no other care 

 in its cultivation than that of merely keeping it free 

 from weeds. 



There are many other species of flax, or linum, 

 but none of these are adapted to the purposes of 

 spinning and weaving. 



