46 



DICKSON ON 



by any one acquainted with the preparation of Flax and 

 hemp, that my machines for breaking cannot be surpassed, if 

 .equalled. 



The machine can be fed by a man or woman. No particular 

 craft or skill is required further than to spread the Flax or 

 hemp-straw level and even at the ends on the feed end, com- 

 mencing at the coarse side, No. 1, and finishing with the fine 

 side at No. 3 feed end. 



The great advantage gained by the new and peculiar 

 features in the movements of this machine, arises from the 



IN AND OUT MOVEMENT of the CRTMPING ROLLERS, which 



admits of one end of the Flax or hemp straw being in the 

 hand of the attendant, and as a consequence, not a stalk, reed, 

 or blade of fibre can be lost, as it will neither be tossed, en- 

 tangled, or disturbed, but when one end is finished, the elastic 

 band is brought down the bunch, and the undone end turned 

 into the machine for the same finish as the first, by this mode 

 one-quarter more of fibre can be obtained from the same 

 weight of straw, tq that got from any breaker yet invented, 

 that has been worked, or known, or heard or. 



SCRAPING, SCUTCHING, BRUSHING, 

 AND COMBING. 



This being the finishing part of the process, is one requiring 

 the eye of a manager, a man skilled in the value of Flax and 

 competent to judge of its being well prepared, for although 

 any boy or girl can be trained in one day to attend the 

 machines, yet it is necessary that a manager be over them 

 to show them how to put forward and draw back the feed- 

 drums, and to show them how they can get to understand 

 when the Flax, Rheea, fibre hemp and other fibres are scutched, 

 combed, and ready for market. 



