SEPARATION OF THE SEED-EJPPLIXG. 283 



astride, facing each other on opposite sides of the comb. 

 The comb has a row of tempered iron teeth, about 1 5 to 

 1 8 inches long, set at distances of one-third of an inch 

 apart at the base, and gradually increasing by the taper- 

 ing form of the teeth to about two-thirds of an inch at 

 the top. It requires to be strongly made, in order to 

 stand against the strain continually against it in the 

 operation, and should be well rivetted into an iron plate, 

 which can be screwed on to the bench or form. Under- 

 neath this simple machine a large sheet is placed (if the 

 floor be sound this is unnecessary) ; the sheaves or 

 bundles are then supplied on the right hand of each of 

 the ripplers, who takes a large handful by the base of 

 the stems, and by an easily acquired motion spreads out 

 the heads into a fan shape, and this he pulls sharply 

 through the teeth of the rippling comb, which, owing 

 to the difference between the diameters of the stems 

 and of the seed-bolls, allows the former to pass through 

 readily, but strips off the latter, which fall down in a 

 heap on the floor. The two ripplers use the comb alter- 

 nately, the one renewing his handful while the other is 

 drawing his through the comb. Practised hands do this 

 with great rapidity and exactitude, and a large quantity 

 is got through in the day. The rippled straw is then 

 laid down on the left side of the operator, and is carefully 

 tied up again into the same-sized "bundles" by a boy, when 

 it is ready for immediate use. The seed-bolls require to- 

 be winnowed, to clear away the small pieces of footstalks 

 and bolls from the seed, which should then be spread out 

 thinly on the floor, and exposed to a current of dry air 

 for a day or two, or, better still, when practicable, exposed 

 on a sheet to the sun and air until they are quite dry, 

 when they will be found to have become darker in colour 

 and more plump in appearance. The rippling process 

 can only be safely followed when the flax is fresh from 



