PREPARED EY HIS PATENTS. 



235 



description of Mr. J. H. Dickson's patent for dressing Flax 

 and hemp. Mr. Dickson is a brother of Mr. A. Dickson, 

 formerly of this city, and now of Friiitfield, Clark's Mills, 

 Kingston. 



The following results have been proved by th e working 

 of Dickson's patent liquid, process, in the presence of several 

 London Flax merchants and brokers. Samples are to be 

 seen at the office of the Cotton Supply Association, Man- 

 chester. Rheea and Flax cottonized, and as capable of being 

 spun on the existing cotton machinery as Sea Island cotton, 

 and also the yarn spun and the cloth made from it has been 

 sent there several times. 



English Flax-straw, green and unretted, 112lbs. produced 

 by machinery alone 22lbs. of long, perfectly clean green fibre, 

 worth £56 per ton; 9lbs. of fine tow, perfectly clean green 

 fibre, worth £30 per ton ; and olbs. of rough, perfectly clean 

 green fibre, worth £20 per ton— total, 36lbs. According to 

 the above, it appears that 5Jtons of dry Flax-straw, delivered 

 at the works, say at £4 per ton, will produce 20cwt. Iqr. 14lbs. 

 of clean long Flax ; 8cwt, 4lbs. of fine tow ; and 4cwt. Iqr. 

 24lbs. of rough tow. This green fibre, prepared by Dickson's 

 patent liquid, has-been valued at £100 up to £150 per ton, 

 and the fine tow at 8d. per lb., by wool spinners. It is per- 

 fectly white, and equal in strength and quality to the best 

 Belgian Flax, and being discharged of all the resin, it carries 

 a high gloss, and has taken fast colours. 



Egyptian half-dressed Flax— 11 2ibs. at £29 per ton, pro- 

 duced by the machinery 74Jlbs. of clean fibre, valued at 

 £58 per ton; 25 Jibs, of fine tow, valued at £30 per ton; 

 waste, 12lbs. in re-dressing — total, 112lbs. 



Friezland Flax — 112lbs. at £48 per ton, produced by the 

 machines 90lbs. of clean fibre, worth £70 per ton ; 13lbs. of 

 clean tow, worth £32 per ton ; waste, 9lbs. in re-dressing — 

 total, 112lbs. This Flax being rather green, from the 



