420 On the Modes of Culture and Preparation of Flax, 
dams, as at present, as the system adopted at Courtrai would 
not be practicable in Ireland. 
In the casualty of firing, to which the flax-crop is more or 
less subject as it approaches maturity, particularly the produce 
from Dutch seed, the stalk becomes spotted with blotches 
of a dark brown colour, which have the appearance of what 
would be produced by fire — hence the term. There is no 
remedy ; but when these spots or blotches appear, the crop 
must be carefully watched, and if the firing makes rapid pro- 
gress, the only alternative is to pull at once, even if not ready, 
and steep immediately. 
It would be impossible to convey how the scutching operation 
should be done to the best advantage. Experienced scutchers, 
with attention, will turn out good flax, provided it has been 
properly handled by the grower. If care has been taken in the 
several stages to keep the flax even, it will facilitate the scutch- 
ing ; that is, when pulled, when tied in beets after being 
rippled, when spread, when lifted off the grass, and when 
finally tied in beets for the mill it will go evenly into the rollers, 
and the streakers, unless very careless, can give it in nice order 
to the scutchers, who will be enabled to do their work with 
much less loss than would arise if it arrived at the mill in 
slovenly made beets. If more uniformity in the condition of 
the straw as it comes from the farmers could be attained, im- 
proved machinery of a lighter description than that at present 
in use could be employed ; however, the preliminary operation 
of breaking is most important, and very efficient machines have 
been constructed, but owing to the comparatively small amount 
of straw that can be manipulated per day, they have not come 
into general use. The more perfect the breaking is, the less 
scutching is necessary, and therefore it diminishes the waste so 
general now, by lessening the quantity of tow produced. 
In Ireland the mode of cleaning by hand-scutching might be 
more extensively practised, and owing to the yield obtained 
being so much larger than by mill-scutching, this method would 
probably remunerate the farmers better. The present per- 
nicious practice of fire-drying, however, is very detrimental to 
the quality of the flax, by robbing it of its oily nature, and pro- 
ducing a dry harsh fibre. More attention should be given to 
breaking the flax properly before being scutched. In Holland 
this is principally done by ordinary rollers driven by steam- 
power ; but when this is not available, a very efficient hand- 
breaker, extensively used in Belgium, might be employed. It 
is simple in construction, and inexpensive (with improved 
facilities of breaking, " fire-drying " might be discontinued). 
