452 [Assembly 



him whether a machine could not be invented for the purpose of 

 pulling flax. "There is not the slightest difficulty," said he, 

 with much sincerity ; " it can be done as soon as the wants of 

 the people demand it. I know what it is ; my back has ached 

 often at that labor when a boy." 



We have had before us during these discussions various speci- 

 mens of the fabrics of linen, and linen mixed with cotton, and 

 through the kind attention of Mr. Ellsworth, late Commissioner 

 of Patents, we have seen the material now prepared and called 

 flax cotton, the snowy whiteness of which was the principal 

 distinguishing feature between it and the veritable cotton. If 

 by any newly discovered process flax can be prepared in quantity 

 for the price which has been stated, (eight cents per lb.,) equal 

 in quality to the specimens we have seen, then the wliole matter 

 is actually accomplished. It can be spun on any machinery 

 now in existence with as much facility as the material for which 

 the machine was originally designed, and must inevitably, to a 

 large extent, take the place of cotton. But we must not be too 

 sanguine, for although these statements come to us under the 

 sanction of highly respectable and responsible names, the end, 

 nevertheless, may not be so fully attained as we might be led to 

 believe. There is certainly nothing that should for a moment 

 deter us in the prosecution of an enterprise, the result of which, 

 if successful, is of such magnitude, and the accomplishment of 

 which seems to be clearly within our reach. 



Mr. Fleet, — Cotton lias attained the supremacy. In place of 

 flax our farmers have turned their attention to the cultivation of 

 fruit; and the failure of the efforts recently made to grow silk, 

 which may surely and profitably be done on every farm, discou- 

 rages new projects. We shall never succeed with flax if wo 

 must cut the fibres. That must be first obviated ; still I indulge 

 in hopes of ultimate success. 



Gen. Chandler called the attention of members to the splendid 

 artificial imitation fruits on the table, the work of Townend 

 Glover, of Fishkill Landing, N". Y. The fruits exhibited are, 

 varieties of apples 50, plums 37, apricots 4, nectarines 6, quinces 

 4, grapes 5, Osage orange and pears 39. 



