242 



On Claiissens Flax- Cotton. 



rubbed in the hand, it will be found that a partial separation of 

 the straw has been obtained, and its bulk has in consequence been 

 proportionately reduced. Taking advantage of this property of 

 the flax, the Chevalier Claussen has constructed a machine "^ for 

 the purpose of enabling the grower thus to separate the straw from 

 the fibre. The possibility of effecting this without steeping has 

 been known for some years, and the merit of its discovery is not 

 claimed by the Chevalier Claussen. But considering that hitherto 

 the great difficulty with all growers of flax has been its preparation 

 for market, and that, even in cases similar to that of Mr. Druce, 

 where the crop was disposed of in the straw as it came from the 

 field, the great bulk of the crop rendered its transport to any dis- 

 tance almost impossible, it was thought that, if means were placed 

 at the disposal of the grower by which a reduction of the bulk of 

 the crop might be obtained without injury to the fibre, and at an 

 expenditure of labour not greater than the ordinary farm occupa- 

 tion of threshing, he would be enabled to avail himself of the best 

 market which might offer for his produce. In addition to this, 

 the straw obtained in the process of separation would be available 

 for returning to the soil, and thus prevent that exhaustion which 

 must of necessity take place in the case of flax, as in all other 

 crops, where the whole of the produce was removed from the soil. 



When thus separated the fibre is adapted to the manufacture 

 of sail-cloth, ropes, cordage, canvas, and other coarse fabrics, for 

 which a very large demand exists, and, in consequence of its great 

 strength and freedom from waste^ it may be advantageously em- 

 ployed as a substitute for Russian hemp in the production of a 

 large proportion of these articles. It is also adapted in this stage 

 for the process of steeping required to bring it into a fit state 

 for the ordinary flax spinner or linen manufacturer, and it is 

 equally suited for undergoing the further manipulations required in 

 order to adapt it under Chevalier Claussen's process for spinning 

 upon the ordinary cotton or woollen machinery. The great diffi- 

 culty, therefore, in connexion with the preparation of the crop for 

 market on the part of the grower is at once removed by this, the 

 first stage in the process which we are considering. So far as the 

 agriculturist is concerned our remarks might stop here, did we not 

 consider it necessary to carry our observations a stage further, 

 for thiP^urpose of showing the practicability of the new process, 

 and its adaptation to the requirements of that new and extensive 

 demand which must of necessity arise for flax when employed as 



* Upon the adaptation to its purpose and cheapness of this machine depends the 

 benefit which the agriculturist will derive from the ingenious invention of the Chevalier 

 Claussen ; the bulk of flax straw to be transported from the farmyard to the manu- 

 facturer is at present so great in proportion to the price received per ton for the straw, 

 as to militate extensively against the cultivation of flax for the purpose of manufacture 

 in England.— W. Miles. 



