as practised in Ireland and on the Continent. 
423 
fibre produced arises from properties which the water of this 
river possesses. It is practically a canal, and the current, which 
is very slow, is considered to contribute in producing the high 
quality of flax. 
Before being retted the beets are placed on a floor, and the 
seed is threshed out with a mallet (Fig. 5) constructed for the 
purpose. Two beets are then tied together with straw-bands, 
the butts and tops being reversed : these are called bundles 
Fig. 5. — Mallet for ihreshtng out Flax-seed. 
(Fig. G), and are placed in crates constructed of timber, which 
are lined with straw to prevent the flax coming in contact with 
the sides, and also to impede too forcible a current of water flow- 
ing through the flax. The bundles are packed in the crates in 
an upright position and covered with straw, and when filled, 
are floated into the river, and kept close to the bank by being 
tied to stakes. Boards are placed on the top of the straw, which 
are loaded with stones to sink the crates, so as to submerge the 
flax. After fermentation has set in, the retting process is 
allowed to reach a certain stage ; the flax is then taken out 
and set up in hollow cones, and dried. It is again tied in 
bundles and repacked in the crates, and put back into the river, 
where it remains till the retting is considered finished, which 
is determined by delicate tests well understood by the Belgian 
farmer. When removed a second time from the crates, it is 
again placed in cones to dry ; sometimes the flax is steeped 
three times. Previous to being scutched it is sorted by a com- 
petent manipulator. Each beet is opened, and the flax which 
is considered in a perfect condition is put aside as suitable for 
first-class fibre ; what is over-watered, is kept apart to be sepa- 
rately scutched ; and what is under-watered, is again put into 
the crates and submerged in the river till sufficiently softened. 
In what is called the blue districts the retting is performed 
in very much the same manner as in Ireland ; more care, how- 
ever, is exercised in procuring and preparing the water in the 
dams. In some instances, with the view to improve the colour, 
VOL. XVII.— S. S. 2 G 
