198 



Flax, its Treatment, 



common yeast was employed, the flax being placed in shallow 

 tanks and carefully watered. 



In some comparative experiments which were undertaken by 

 the Irish Flax-Improvement Society, in 1850, the following 

 doubts as to the hot-water process were specially investigated, 

 and reported upon : — 



1st. That the yield of fibre would be less than by the ordinary 

 method. 



2nd. That fibre so prepared would be weakened. 



3rd. That the linen made from it would not bleach properly. 



In reference to the first objection, the Committee reported 

 that their experiments showed that the uniformity of tempera- 

 ture had the effect of increasing the yield of fibre. In one 

 experiment, conducted at Lisburn by Mr. Davidson, 112 lbs. 

 of flax-straw, after being steeped and dried in the usual way, 

 gave 20 lbs. of scutched fibre; while 112 lbs. steeped by 

 Schenck's process gave 24 lbs. In another 112 lbs. of straw, 

 cold-steeped, gave 14 lbs. 5 oz. dressed fibre ; whereas the 

 same quantity of straw yielded, by the hot-water process, 

 17 lbs. 11^ oz. The increased yield in the first experiment was 

 20 per cent., and in the second 23t per cent., in favour of 

 Schenck's process. As respects the second objection the result 

 was equally favourable. In the first experiment, the flax 

 steeped in the ordinary way spun to 96 lea yarn, and that by 

 Schenck's system to 101 lea yarn. In the second, the cold- 

 steeped gave 60 lea, and the hot-steeped 70. The third objec- 

 tion was submitted to an extensive bleaching firm, whose 

 evidence in favour of the hot-water process was very decided. 

 The Committee concluded their report by stating their belief 

 that all reasonable objections had been fairly and satisfactorily 

 met. 



Other experiments, on a large scale, confirm their opinion. 

 In ten comparative experiments, made with nine different sorts 

 of flax, it resulted that the average produce of 1200 lbs. of flax- 

 straw gave 144 lbs. of dressed fibre in the hot-steep, and only 

 118 lbs. when steeped in the old way. 



Dr. Hodges, in a paper read at the British Association Meet- 

 ing, gave a statement, extracted from the returns of the Cregagh 

 rettery (Schenck's patent), of the changes which 100 tons of flax 

 undergo when treated by this process. 



100 tons of dried flax-straw yield — 



1st. By seeding, 33 tons of seed and husk ; leaving of 



seeded flax 67 tons. 

 2nd. By steeping, 67 tons of seeded flax, yield of steeped 



straw 39*5 tons. '1 



