Flax Linen Linseed. 1 1 7 



84. Besides cotton, there is 

 another plant which is very 

 useful in furnishing us with 

 material for clothing. What 

 is that? Flax, from which 

 linen is made. 



85. Linen is a kind of cloth 

 made from a material obtained 

 from the plant called flax. 

 This grows to the height of two 

 or three feet. It has slender 

 stalks, which are covered with 



a bark or skin containing fibers or a thread-like 

 substance. Flax grows from seed sown in the 

 spring ; it is pulled out by the roots in sum- 

 mer, and after drying, soaking, scutching or 

 beating, and other processes, the fibers are 

 separated from the other portions of the bark, 

 spun into thread, and woven into cloth called 

 linen, cambric, lawn, tablecloths, towels, etc. 



86. The seeds of the flax are called linseed. 

 Like those of the cotton plant, they yield a 



useful oil and a substance which is made into 

 food for cattle. 



87. Linen was known to the ancient Egyptians many 

 hundred years ago, who exported it to Greece and Rome 



88. Ireland is celebrated for its fine linen. 



