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quaintance whether they should prefer a gown made from a 

 printed cotton muslin, or one of equal fineness manufactured 

 from flax, I have invariably received a reply in favour of 

 the latter, even if it should be somewhat more costly. One 

 great advantage which flax possesses over cotton is, that it 

 becomes whiter by constant washing, and retains a purity of 

 colour to the last, instead of becoming yellow and unsightly, 

 as cotton articles do after a short use. This important pro- 

 perty gives a superiority and clearness to printed linens, and 

 a beauty to linen ginghams, which is not possessed by cotton 

 articles of the same kind, and which, added to the less downy 

 quality of the material, produces a brighter look in linen 

 manufactures, and makes them really retain their cleanliness 

 much longer under equal circumstances. The strength of 

 the fibre of flax always produces a texture of greater tenacity, 

 which is shown by the much greater value set upon the thin 

 and open fabrics of cambric and lace, when formed of flax, 

 than when made of cotton. A foreign production, possessing 

 many of the qualities and properties of flax, has lately been 

 introduced into England, called Chinese grass, which has 

 been used not only for the more homely manufacture of 

 ropes, but also for ladies' dresses. The fibre appears to 

 be very fine and tenacious, and probably may be used with 

 advantage for many purposes ; but I have not sufficient 

 knowledge of the processes necessary for its manufacture 

 to compare their expense with those required by flax, nor 

 am I aware whether there is any probability of its being 

 successfully introduced into England as a profitable crop, 

 or whether the plant would bear our climate. 



Having enumerated some of the advantages of promoting 

 the growth and extended use of flax in England, I will now 

 only briefly advert to the consideration, whether its fabrics 

 can successfully compete in cost with those of cotton. With 

 regard to its price, I think I have shown that, with proper 



