248 



On Claussens Flax- Cotton. 



For wool, he states that the expenses of preparation are about 

 the same; but it requires a further '"blowing" and carding, 

 which processes are extra, say \d. per lb., but it will then sell 

 to the woollen manufacturers at from 6f/. to \0d. per lb. 



If these statements can be borne out when the process is car- 

 ried out upon an extensive scale, our agriculturists will be en- 

 abled to supply the cotton and woollen manufacturers with a fabric 

 adapted to their machinery, and without requiring the slightest 

 outlay on their part, for the purpose of adapting it to the new 

 material, at a price considerably less than that at which cotton 

 can be profitably grown and imported from the United States, 

 or any other cotton-producing country. Referring to the official 

 list of prices at Liverpool of American uplands " and of Surat 

 and Madras cotton during the last 20 years, it appears that 

 the lowest price at which cotton was sold was in 1845, when 

 the imports were unusually large, and that then the prices were, 

 for " uplands," from 3f c?. to 4f d per lb., and for Surat and Madras 

 from 2^cl. to ?)%d. per lb. The highest price was in 1835, when 

 " uplands " ranged from ^d. to \\\d., and " Surats '' from &^d. 

 to 8|<i. per lb. The average price for the whole period was for 

 Surats about 6d., and for uplands about Gjf/. per lb. ; while 

 Chevalier Claussen states that the cost at which his British 

 cotton can be produced does not exceed 2jc?. per lb. 



An additional advantage presented to the manufacturer is, that 

 the flax-cotton, when delivered, is in a much cleaner state than 

 foreign cotton is imported, and that consequently he will have to 

 incur less expense in the preparatory stages of putting it on his 

 machinery. It will of course be fully understood, from the mode 

 of preparation which we have described, that the process of pro- 

 ducing "flax-cotton" commences at the same stage as that of 

 the preparation of the "fibre" for the ordinary linen manu- 

 facture, and that it is not proposed to convert flax," as ordi- 

 narily known in the flax market, and which has been steeped 

 and prepared to suit one branch of manufacture, into a substance 

 suited to another of a totally distinct character. 



Enough has, we think, been stated to induce our agriculturists 

 io bestow a calm and careful consideration upon this really 

 important and national question, to watch the progress of the 

 flax movement, and to endeavour to secure for themselves those 

 advantages which, should the invention be successfully carried 

 out, may not improbably be as exclusively enjoyed by the foreign 

 producer as is the supply of the present demand for flax in this 

 country. We have purposely abstained from mixing up with 

 the consideration of this question the advantages which would 

 result to the grower from being enabled, by the culture of the 

 flax-crop at home, to obtain, at a less cost, a better description 



