206 WATT’S PROCESS FOR PREPARING FLAX. 
passes a tube, furnished with a valve. There are two doors in 
the ends of the chamber, through which the Flax is introduced, 
and these, when the steam is admitted, are secured by screws. 
A false bottom, formed of perforated iron plates, such as are 
used in malt-kilns, is raised about six inches from the bottom 
of the chamber; and, resting on this, there is an upright throw- 
pipe, the use of which we shall presently describe. The 
chamber being filled with Flax, and the doors secured, steam 
is admitted, and when the straw has been thoroughly saturated 
with moisture and softened, a weight is placed upon the valve 
on the top, so as to confine the steam, which, as it strikes 
against the cold bottom of the water-tank forming the roof of 
the chamber, is condensed, and made to descend in streams of 
distilled water, which dissolve the soluble matters of the 
softened straw, washing them into the lower part of the 
chamber. The liquid, as it accumulates, is conveyed into a 
reservoir, and employed as food for cattle. The analysis of 
this liquid is given at p. 208. Towards the conclusion of the 
process, when nearly all the soluble matters have been removed, 
the liquid is allowed to collect until it rises above the false 
bottom, and, by placing a weight upon the safety-valve in the 
roof, the pressure of the confined steam causes it to ascend in 
the throw-pipes, by which it is discharged in showers over the 
straw. The throw-pipes, it may be mentioned, are not 
essential, and in some of the vats they are not used. In their 
stead, a square iron reservoir is placed on the top of the 
chamber, and communicating with it by a pipe with a stop- 
cock, into which the liquid accumulated in the chamber is 
pumped, and discharged occasionally over the straw. 
“Tn from twelve to eighteen hours, the steaming process is 
completed, and the straw, when withdrawn from the chamber, 
is immediately subjected in small parcels to the successive 
action of two pair of heavy iron rollers, by which it is pressed 
into flat tape-like bands, and deprived of nearly all the 
moisture contained in it; the longitudinal pressure also 
removes a considerable portion of the epidermis, or outer 
envelope, and facilitates the removal of the woody matter in 
scutching. ach pair of rollers used exerts a pressure equal 
to 10 cwt. 
“The after-treatment of the pressed straw does not present 
