I»l 



NEW ENGLAND FARWEK. 



a similar jirocess before it is niailfi up ibr 

 larket. 



Il 1 coinciile ill the opinion yon have expressed, 

 '^l" ir, that " the extension of llax culture nil! 

 "1 reatly depend upon finding ont a iModo hy 

 'hicli coiiimon fanlicrs can extract the a:!uti- 

 "ous matter and weaken the woody fibre, so as 

 ) render the flax manageable by such opera- 

 oiis or machines as can be introd\iced into 

 "'ommon use,''' and sincerely regret my inability 

 S\y adduce facts in answer to your question, 

 does there or does there not exist in nature a 

 heap and common solvent which can be applied 

 5 tlax, in mans, by operative farmers?" Fcel- 

 lar, like yourself, confident that " the thing de- 

 ed can be c^oiif," and, alfhoug-h possessed of 



data derived from experiments, as ym have 

 esired my opinion on the subject 1 sliall sub- 



ivi lit a few remarks which will pass for what 

 ley may be worth. 



The candor and liberality manifested b}' Mr. 

 >C!/, and the spirit with which he pursues his 

 bject, are to be admired ; but admitting that 

 is most sanguine expectations will be realized 



1 the successful operation of his machines for 

 [, ?parating the fibre or harle from the stem of 



ic plant, yet the very important process of 

 leansing it from the ■^lu'iiious inaiter remains 

 ) be performed, and the question occurs, "can 

 ot this be done, in the large s'ay, as cheap., and 

 'ith much less hazard by common farmers with 

 le raw siein, as with the fibres after they are 

 jparated ?" I am inclined to believe that it 

 an. The only objection is the expense and 

 iconvenience of managing a more bulky ani- 

 le ; but will not the dressed flax require equal 

 ibor in dividing it into minute parcels for the 

 leansing process, and uncommon care in btind- 

 ng and drying to prevent immense waste ? By 

 pplying the solvent to the stem, it is reasonable 

 ) suppose that the " woody fibre" would be 

 ■eakened to'such a degree that much less pow- 

 r will be required to separate it, and of course 

 ;ss complicated and expensive machines. 



It is not probable that the end we are seek- 

 ig will be ejgieiemlij attained without the aid of 

 eat. Steam eveti irom pure water is a most 

 owerful solvent ; and 1 have great faith that 

 /ith a proper menstruutn, it may be success- 

 illy applied by common farmers. I am led fo 

 his conclusion by its operation with a perfectly 

 imple apparatus in 2i:aslnng clothes — by far the 

 reatest and most economical improvement yet 

 iscovered to disarm icnshing day of its terrors. 

 t consists of a pot or boiler., ivith a close cover. 

 Qto which a tin or leaden tube is inserted, and a 

 ub or box with a similar carer. The clothes. 

 fter being wet and a little soap rubbed on the 

 nost soiled parts of them, are laid upon slats or 

 helves in the tub or box, the tube is then con- 

 lected with it, and the boiler nenrly filled with 

 vater mixed with a weak solution of potash or 

 ey from the leach tub, n lire is put under the 

 loiler late in the afternoon, it boils during the 

 ivening and is left simmering till morning, 

 vhen the clothes are taken out; and they must 

 lave been very foul to require any more labor 

 ban rinsing once or twice to make them pcr- 

 ectly clean. Now this process is managed by 

 ■ommon house maids ! What is to prevent them, 

 he wives and daughters of farmers and even 

 armers themselves from attending to a similar 

 )rocess on a larger scale ? I apprehend no (Inn- 

 er from steam, in fixing any stain or color, that 

 may be communicated by the plant. • 



We will now inquire for a menslruiJtn witfiin' 

 the reach of •• common farmers," ami it will 

 not be necossurj' for the present object to com- 

 bine the bleaching ])rocoss, though it may fol- 

 low in a considerable degree. 1 would here 

 observe that there was an imporlant omission 

 in copying my Essay for the press, in quoting 

 from the transactions of the Swedith Academy, 

 of the application of birch ashes spread between 

 the layers of flax before the salt ica'e/- was turn- 

 ed on for boiling. Should such a process be 

 found beneficial, sea -dealer can be easily nnd 

 cheaply imitated in the interior countr}-. 



Mr. Dey asserts that the materials he has 

 discovered for cleaning and bleaching flax dres- 

 sed by his machine, "are abundant in eveiT 

 farmer's house." 1 shall be much mistaken in 

 my conjectures if ashes, salt, and perhaps lime, 

 with vegetable acid or sour milk are not the prin- 

 cipal constituents of his secret! 



The substances used in bleaching will, I be- 

 lieve, either combined or separate, afford the 

 best solvent wilhin our knowledge, for the ob- 

 ject in view ; and acids are considered of pri- j 

 m.iry and indispensable importance ; they Were j 

 formerly produced by the fermentation of r^c 

 iiical or bran- — sour milk was also used as exten- 

 sively as it could be obtained. But it has been | 

 found that a weak solution of sulphuric acid an- 

 swers the same purpose — is more convenient 

 and much cheaper. Oil of vitriol in a highly 

 concentrated state is now manufactured in Bos- 

 ton, and sold at not more than eight cents per 

 pound — one pound of which is said to bj? suih- 

 cieiit to acidulate two hundred gallons of water. 

 It is probable however that live pounds to that 

 quantity of water, if thoroughly mixed, would 

 net injure the material and accelerate the pro- 

 cess. 



When we reflect upon the rationale of 'he 

 preparation of flax by the usual method of 

 steeping in water, it appears that it is the acid 

 ])roduced by the acetous fermentation that dis- 

 solves the glutinous matter: the mere act of 

 fermentation has no other eflect than to give 

 motion to the lieptid, its has been demonstrated 

 by eminent bleachers in Great Britain when 

 comparing the eflect of sulphuric acid ivifh that 

 produced by fermentation. It if true that by 

 sleeping, the putrid fermenttition which rapidly 

 follows the acetous, hastens the operation and 

 more readily decomposes the woody fibre, but 

 with manifest injury to the material ! Now it 

 requires ten or fourteen da^s to prepare flax 

 by steeping, when doLic in cool weather as it 

 should be ; if this can be eftected in half as 

 many hours with sulphuric acid, even with the 

 expense of heat, may it not be the cheapest 

 solvent ? 



It should be kept in view, that there is a 

 cellular oil in flax, which an alkaline ley de- 

 stroys ; this is apparent from the harshness of 

 linen yarn tlitit has been boiled in it — the de- 

 composition of this oil may be necessary to the 

 completely bleaching of Jine go()ds, but it is im- 

 portant to retain it for sail cloth, as not only 

 rendering it fofi and pliable, but as a preserva- 

 tive against mildew. The sicam from such ley 

 however, is supposed not to produce that eflect. 



Whether the oxi-mnriate of lime, the principal 

 agent now used for bleaching, may be success- 

 fully applied as a solvent to the raw stem of 

 flax, can be determined only by experiments ; 

 the materials for forming it are abundant and 



chciip. A formula 1 met with Kotnc years agd. 

 rc(|uires.GO lbs. &i fnely pou'dercd quicklime au*^. 

 ;50 lbs. of comiricn salt to be mixed with 1 10 

 gallons 6f water in the receiver; into the dis- 

 tilling ves.sel is put 30 lbs. of salt, v.'ith 30 lbs. 

 o( mar.ganese, which are to be well mixed, and 

 30 lbs. of oil of vitriol, diluted with the same 

 weight of water, turned on. But I am told thai 

 great improvements have been made of late — 

 that it is prepared in tlio dry way, which ren- 

 ders it conveniently portable, and fs sold to the 

 bleachers at a very cheap rate.* 



Perhaps the, simple muriate rf lime would an 

 swer the purpose ; in that case the expensi 

 would be much lessened, and the operation so 

 simplifled as to render it convenient to be used 

 by operative farmers. 



1 should feel extremel}' happy. Sir, was it iii 

 my power, to institute a course of cxperinuni- 

 agreeably to your suggestions, and which youi 

 partiality supposes me capable of performing ; 

 but a pressure of domestic avocations, togefhej- 

 ^vith preparations for an expected absence from 

 home, of some months continuance in the au- 

 tumn, vvholly preclude siich aitempts. At the 

 same time I beg you to rest assured that I shall 

 always feel r.mbitious, to the extent of my abil- 

 ity, to co-operate ttir tlie promotion of uirai, 

 ECONOMY, with one who hai devoted so great a 

 portion of life for the advancement of the sub- 

 stantial interests of his country. 



^Vith respectful and sincere attachment, 

 1 remain, sir, vour obedient servant, 



S. W. POMEKOY 

 His Ex'y Ouvr.r. Woicott, 



Litchfield, "Con. 



*The substance of tlie moile of prepanug Blcaciiirig 

 Powder, according to as hite an iiilproTenitut as any 

 we liave seen, is as Ibllows : 



Oxjgenated nuiriatic acid is capable of forming h 

 compound witli calcareous earth, and with the carltis 

 barytes, strdntites, and magnesia, in llie dry way, that 

 is, wilhout these earths being either suspended, or dis- 

 solved in water ; and this is effected merely by bring- 

 ing the oxygenated muriatic gas into contact with 

 these earths in form of lumps, pieces, powder or paste, 

 or into contact with mixtures of them, witli sucli other 

 bodies in the above forms, as do not impede or liiuder 

 their attraction for the acid. It has been found that 

 the oxygenated muriates of lime, and of the earths 

 mentioned above, thus formed, when mixed with wa- 

 ter, possess the power of removing color from linen, 

 cotton, and various otlier veg-etable and animal sub- 

 stances, and have been profitably applied for that pur- 

 pose. See Repertory nfjlrls, vol. xii., p. 1, sec. s^rie.':. 



If we mistalce not. Sir Humphrey Davy, in one of his 

 lectures has intimated tha' there is danger lest the 

 caustic powers of oxy-muriale of lime should injure 

 the texture of the material to be bleached ; and he 

 therc-iure prelers magnesia as one of the ingredients of 

 bleaching powder to lime. Simple muriate of lime, as 

 recommended by Jlr. Pomeroy, deserves experiment, 

 and ]>erhaps lime slacked with sea water, or salt in 

 solution with water, would be found useful. Care 

 however is necessary not to apply caustic substances 

 of too great strength, and in every case to thoroughly 

 rinse the goods in pure water after every application of 

 a bleaching substance, of the nature above described. 



£d. N. E. F. 



Robbing Gardens. — Several indictments and 

 convictions, of boys and youths, have taken 

 ])lace in various parts of the State, for viola- 

 tions of the statute made to prevent depreda- 

 tions upon orchards, gardens and fruit-yards. — 

 Its penalties are very severe, and yet we are 

 glad that a disposition prevails to enforce it. 



Worcester Spij. 



