FLAX. 149 



Temple of Minerva at Lindus in Rhodes, which had be- 

 longed to the Egyptian king Amassis, 600 years b. c. ; and 

 in Pliny's time some mutilated remains of this same corselet 

 were still in existence. 



The flax-plant is extremely slender, growing about two 

 feet in height, with a single stem crowned by a loose corymb 

 of elegant light-blue flowers ; it is cultivated in fields, and 

 sown very thickly if a fine fibre is required, but more spar- 

 ingly for coarser qualities. It has a remarkable range of 

 temperature, thriving from the fields of Northern Europe 

 to the plains of Tropical India. 



The flax-crop is gathered by hand, the plants being pulled 

 up by the roots and collected into bundles ; this takes place 

 usually after the flowering is just over, unless it is required 

 to save both seed and fibre, when they are obliged to remain 

 until the seed is ripe. The bundles are tied up and left in 

 the field for twelve or fourteen days to dry ; it is then car- 

 ried to a pool of water properly arranged for the purpose ; 

 here it is steeped until the skin and mucilaginous parts are 

 decomposed, and the tough fibres are set free ; this process, 

 called water-retting, usually occupies ten or twelve days. 

 When taken out of the water, the flax is laid upon the grass 

 of the bleaching-field for another ten or twelve days ; by this 



