306 AGRICULTURAL SURVEY OF chap. Xf. 



has encreased to eleven, nine of which spin 

 both lint and tow, and two, tow only. Besides 

 those already at work, there are five more just 

 now erecting. 



When our people first began to use these ma- 

 chines, they could spin lint-yarn only. But by 

 improved skill and dexterity derived from prac- 

 tice, as well as from the application of genius, 

 they can now spin not only heckled flax, but 

 braids, tow, and backs also. In point of quan- 

 tity and quality of the yarn, likewise, they have 

 much improved. Their coarse yarns, whether 

 from lint or tow, are not inferior to those spun 

 by the hand. The grist of their lint-yarn is 

 commonly from 3 lib. to 6 lib. per spindle. 

 Some has been spun so fine as 24- lib. and even 

 2 lib. the spindle, but this is in no great quan- 

 tity. Their tow-yarns are from 5 lib. to 10 or 

 1 2 lib. the spindle. 



The lint-yarn made at these mills, is manu- 

 factured into threads, coarse shirting, ticks and 

 checks ; sail-cloth, Osnaburgs, &c. : The tow- 

 yarn is used for woof to ticks, sail cloths, Osna- 

 burgs, &c. The flax they commonly use is 

 brought from the Baltic, viz. Petersburgh, Riga, 

 Libau, &c. and also from Holland. The Russia 

 flax is in general of so coarse a fibre, that it can- 

 not be spun fine : But, from the great improve- 

 ment already made in spinning with these ma- 

 chines, it is not to be doubted but that in time, 

 and with flax of a proper quality, they will be 

 able to spin yarn small enough for fine linen. 

 Upon trial, they find that our home-grown flax 

 spins well ; and from what is good of it, finer 

 yarn can be spun than from Dutch flax. 



