l43 

 8th February, 1921. 



The President, Professor Gregg Wilson, in the Chair. 

 In Museum, College Square North. 



THE DECOKTICATTON OF FIBROUS PLANTS, 



WITH SPECIAL REFEREN(;E TO 



FLAX RETTING AND SCUTCHING. 

 By H. R. Carter. 



(Abstract.) 



Mr. Carter, in the course of his remarks, said that it has 

 been aptly stated that " the Great War was won by Belfast 

 wings," the Ulster capital providing the bulk of the aeroplane 

 linen. The cultivation, retting, scutching, and spinning of flax 

 was one of Ulster's greatest industries. 



Mr. Carter divided vegetable fibres into three classes 

 namely, those obtained from the bark of the plants, such as flax, 

 true hemp, jute and ramie ; those derived from the more or less 

 fleshy leaves, or from the part of the plant enclosed by the bark, 

 including Sisal, New Zealand hemp, and other hard cordage 

 fibres ; and thirdly, fibres derived from the seed pods of which 

 the principal are cotton and coir. 



Of these three classes, only the first two require processes of 

 decortication, and of course the treatment of the flax plant is that 

 of special interest in Ireland. 



The lecturer displayed excellent lantern illustrations of the 

 various processes in connection with the treatment of this fibre, 

 laying special stress upon the highly scientific methods of growing 

 and preparatioc of the fibre in vogue in the valley of the river 

 Lys in Belgium. From this district is derived the best and 

 finest quality of flax fibre in the world, and he emphasised the 



