MR. HARDY ON FLAX-DRESSING. 



119 



Menin, Frontiers of France, 2nd July, 1844. 



Dear Sir, 



I am now five days here, about eight miles South of Courtrai, 

 on the banks of the celebrated Lys river. The pulling of flax has 

 not yet commenced in this district, but I have seen great quantities 

 putting in the water, of last year's growth. It is, in my opinionj 

 the best mode of watering I ever saw. There is flax just now here, 

 which has been sent more than forty miles for the watering. It is tied 

 up in small sheaves, and placed perpendicularly in wooden frames, 

 about twelve feet square, packed close together ; it is then launched 

 into the river and well covered with straw, and kept under the water 

 with large stones. It is never allowed to sink to the bottom of the 

 river, as they say it would do the fibre damage, from the mud at the 

 bottom ; and the nearer it is kept to the top the better, for the heat of 

 the weather makes the process much quicker. When the necessary 

 change has taken place, which is known by the woody part pulling out 

 of the fibre for six or eight inches, the frames are hauled on shore, 

 where it is unpacked and carted to the grass. The pulling of this 

 season's flax will begin in about ten days. I never was so much pleased 

 with any plan I have seen, as the Courtrai, for this reason, — that it is 

 now a-watering when there is nothing else to do for the farmers, and 

 they can give all their attention to it. I found out, to-day, that, in 

 some instances, when they can afford to lie out of the money, it is dried 

 as soon as taken out of the water, and stacked up another year; and I 

 was assured, by a large factor in green flax, that it pays him 10 per 

 cent, for his money. He says, if it had any faults before, as being 

 spotted, or of a bad colour, it becomes all of an equal colour, by thus 

 remaining for a long time heaped together in stack. I forgot to men- 

 tion, that the sheaves are made up, so that it is standing on the butt 

 end, and also the stones to sink it in the water are on the butt 

 end. The factor told me, that, being tied thus, it hinders any damage 

 to the top end. It is very neatly bound round with three bands, one 

 at each end, and one in the middle, so that it cannot loose while in the 

 water. I see no reason why this system should not succeed in Ireland, 

 as everything I have seen yet is most simple ; but I think in the drying 

 I will learn a good deal — that is, drying to stack. Any I saw appears 

 to be done most carefully, as there are no spots on it. It also seems 

 to be a question, whether there is not some peculiar chemical quality 

 in the water of the Lys. This I intend to have tested, before I leave, 

 by a chemist in Antwerp. Please let me know how the crop is look- 

 ing in Ireland, and what the weather — it is very hot here ; and I have 

 seen much better crops of flax than there is here this year. 



I am, Sir, yours respectfully, 

 James MacAdam, Jun., Esq. Thomas Hardy. 



