212 



DICKSON ON THE WEIGHT OE PRODUCTION 



stronger and finer, because of not being retted or reduced by 

 decomposition, I have greater weight of material, although 

 completely free from the gum or resinous substances, and 

 being perfectly white, will take any colour and mix with 

 sheeps wool, and therefore add to the strength of the woollen 

 goods when so mixed in spinning ; two lots, each weighing 

 141bs. of green Flax-stalks were operated on, in presence of Lord 

 Lovaine, M.P. ; Colonel Alcock; Mr. Caldicott, Tratting 

 Lodge, Colchester; Mr. J. P. Oakes, M.R ; M. Caldicott, 

 Jun. ; and Mr. Shore, of Deptford ; and several other gentle- 

 men interested in the Flax subject. The result in both cases was 

 5|lbs. each, or 11 Jibs, of fibre out of the 28lbs. of stalks.' 



"As regards this statement, we can bear testimony to having 

 seen the results, and those results put beyond all doubts the 

 merits of Mr. Dickson's plan. With respect to the tow, its 

 superiority over that produced, for instance, by Claussen's 

 plan, of which so much has been said and written, is so great 

 as scarcely to admit of comparison on the part of the latter. 



' ' As many of our readers are aware, the Belfast Flax 

 Society have for some years past recommended Schenk's 

 system as the best to be followed. By some improvements 

 lately made in that system, the amount of marketable fibre 

 formerly produced from a given quantity of Flax-stalks has 

 been increased. In a case reported by the society, where 

 lOcwt. Iqr. 2ilbs, of stalks were operated on, the result was 

 234lbs. of Flax and tow, whereas Mr. Dickson's plan, from 

 the same weight of Flax-stalks, will produce 268lbs. ot 

 marketable fibre perfectly white, if preferred, the colour being 

 under the control of the manufacturer. 



' ' We think we have said enough on the present occasion 

 to justify us in inviting the attention of practical men to the 

 subject. We hope that some means will be adopted to bring 

 the question under the notice of the Koyal Agricultural 

 Society of England, the more so, because we have been 



