294 THE FLAX CROP. 



the ordinary way spun to 96 lea yarn, and that by the 

 hot-water system spun to 101 lea yarn. In the second ex- 

 periment, the cold-steeped fibre gave 60 lea, and the hot- 

 steeped gave 70 lea. The third objection was submitted 

 to an extensive bleaching firm, whose evidence in favour 

 of the hot- water process was very decided. The committee 

 concluded their report by stating their belief that all 

 reasonable objections had been fairly and reasonably met. 



This process is so simple, and its advantages over the 

 old method so manifest, both in respect to time, quantity, 

 and quality of produce, that it is somewhat remarkable 

 that, notwithstanding the knowledge which existed of the 

 value of temperature in respect to fermentation, even 

 indeed in reference to flax itself, it has only so compara- 

 tively recently been employed. In looking back we find 

 that so long since as 1787,, great interest was excited in 

 Ireland by a plan to immerse flax in scalding water; a 

 large proportion of the vegetable matter was extracted 

 thereby, and fermentation was more readily set up. In 

 India, the practice of partially steeping flax and other 

 similar fibres in hot water has existed for many centuries 

 past. According to Dr. Campbell, at Bencoolen the 

 general process followed is to steep flax and hemp in 

 warm water, in which it is allowed to remain for two to 

 three days. In the presidency of Bengal, at Rungpoor, 

 and other places, the same practice exists, which indeed 

 appears to have been in general use by the inhabitants of 

 the Malayan peninsula for a long time past. 1 



An old German process, termed " molkenrost," in which 

 the flax is steeped in sour whey, largely diluted with warm 

 water, is well known to generate a quicker fermentation, 

 and to produce the finer qualities of fibre. In this process 

 the action appears to be threefold in the advantages it 

 possesses over the ordinary steep. The raised temperature 



1 See Jury Reports, chap. x. p. 96, Great Exhibition, 1851. 



