think, we may be certain of, that, if the Egyptians watered* their $ax in our common manner, they undoubtedly 

 watered it in very warm water, from the great heat of their climate, which probably might make them neglect to 

 think of water heated by any other means than that of the fun. A good general practice can only be eftablimed 

 upon repeated trials ; but, 1 am perfuaded, many lofe half the value of their crop by fome of the prefent 

 methods of watering it. Though one experiment may fail, another with a little variation may fucceed, and the 

 importance of the object dented to be obtained will juftify a good degree of perfeverance in the profecution of the 

 means. In this view, as the Chinefe thread is faid to be very ffrong, it would be worth while to be acquainted 

 with the practice of that diftant nation in regard to the rearing and manufacturing of flax, as well as with the 

 methods ufed by the Flemings and the Dutch. 



Boiling water perhaps might at once clear the new flax from many impurities, which, when not removed till 

 ■fpim into yarn, are then removed with difficulty, and lofs of fubltance to the yarn. Why mould not the longitu- 

 dinal fibres of the flax, before they be fpun into yarn, be made not only as fine but as clean as poffible ? Upon the 

 new fyftem propofed, the act of bleaching would begin immediately after the rippling of the flax ; and a little done 

 then might fave much of what is generally done after the fpinning and weaving. To fpin dirty flax, with a view 

 of cleaning it afterwards, appears to be the fame impropriety as though we were to referve part of the dreffing given 

 to leather till after it is made into a glove. 



Should the plunging the flax into the boiling water not fuffice to make the boon brittle enough, as I am inclined 

 to think it would not, then the common watering might be added ; but, in this cafe, probably half the time ufually 

 given to the watering would fuffice, and the flax might then be laid in clear rivulets, without any apprehenfions of 

 its infecting the water and poifoning the nth, or of being diicoloured itfelf ; for the boiling water into which it had 

 been previously put would have extracted all the poifonous vegetative fap, which, I prefume, is what chiefly 

 difcolours the flax, or kills the fim. 



On the fuppolition that boiling water, in the preparation of flax, may be found to be advantageous and profitable, 

 I can recollect at prefent but one objection againit it being generally adopted. Every flax-grower, it may be faid, 

 could not be expected to have conveniencies for boiling water fufficient for the purpofe, the confumption of water 

 would be great, and fome additional expence would be incurred. In anfwer to this I fhall only obferve, that I 

 prefume any additional expence would be more than reimburfed by the better marketable price of the flax, ; for 

 otherwife any new improvement, if it will not quit coif, muft be dropped, were it even the fearching after gold. In 

 a large cauldron a great deal of flax might be dipped in the fame water, and the confumption perhaps would not be 

 more than a quart to each fheaf : even a large houfhold pot would be capable of containing one fheaf after another; 

 and I believe the whole objection would be obviated, were the practice to prevail with us, as in Flanders and 

 Holland, that the flax-grower and the fiax-drefler fhould be two diftinct profeffions. 



I mall conclude with recommending to thofe w r ho are inclined to make experiments, not to be difcouraged by the 

 failure of one or two trials. Perhaps the flax, inftead of being juff. plunged into the fcalding water, ought to be 

 kept in it five minutes; perhaps a quarter of an hour; perhaps a whole hour. Should five minutes, or a quarter 

 of an hour, or an hour, not be fufficient to make the boon and harle ealily feparate, it might perhaps be found 

 expedient to boil the flax for more than an hour ; and fuch boiling, when in this ftate, might in return fave feveral 

 hours boiling in the article of bleaching. It is not, I think, at all probable, that the boiling of the flax with the 

 boon in it would prejudice the harle ; for, in the courfe of its future exifteuce, it is made to be expofed twenty or 

 forty times to this boiling trial, and, if not detrimental in the one cafe, it is to be prefumed it would not be 

 detrimental in the other. Perhaps after the boiling it would be proper to pile up the flax in one heap for a whole 

 day, or for half a day, to occaiion fome fermentation, or perhaps, immediately after the boiling, it might be proper 

 to warn it in cold water. The great object, when the flax is pulled, is to get the harle from the boon with as little 

 lofs and damage as poffible ; and if this is accomplifhed in a more complete manner than ufual, considerable labour 

 and expence will be faved in the future manufacturing of the flax. On this account, I think, much more would 

 be gained than loft, were the two or three laft inches of the roots of the flax to be chopped off, or clipped off, 

 previous to its being either watered or boiled. 



The following precaution is neceflary to be obferved, that the flax (hp.uld never be fpread out to dry at a feafoil 

 when it may be hi danger of being expofed to the froft. 



