304 



THE FLAX CROP. 



a pedestal, the other, hinging at a, is nearly balanced on 

 that fulcrum by the weight at w. In working the ma- 

 chine the operator stands at the side, and taking the 

 upper frame with one hand, he lifts it up, and with the 

 other places the straw to be broken between the two, 

 and then gives it a succession of blows with the upper 

 frame until the desired end is obtained. The woody 

 structure of the straw is thus completely broken, and fitted 

 for separation by the next process, that of scutching, or 

 " swingling," as it is sometimes termed. Here again the 

 manual process has been successfully imitated by machin- 

 ery; the old method, however, is still practised in the 

 cold-steeping districts. This is effected in the following 



manner: The flax 

 straw is taken up in 

 successive handfuls, 

 and laid over the top 

 (a 6) of an upright 

 wooden stand, as 

 in woodcut. The ope- 

 rator rests one foot 

 on the lower block /, 

 which steadies his 

 movement, and gives 

 successive . blows 

 with the edge of the 

 swingle c d a flat, 

 thin blade of wood, 

 fixed to another 

 stouter piece of the 

 same material upon the projecting part of each hand- 

 ful of flax, which is turned about after each blow so 

 as to present every part of it in turn to the blows of the 

 swingle. When every portion of the " shove " or woody 

 portion is separated, the fibre remains fit for market 



