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The management of the flax so as to yield the most fibre 
by careful growth and culture, and the selection of proper 
time for pulling and for remaining in the water, with the 
due conditions of maturity of plant, stages of decay, and 
power of the water and of the heat of the atmosphere, — 
all these may be summed up in few words, but the best 
practice requires experience, care, and time. At the 
critical period of steeping the examination is made, to 
observe the facility of separation of these delicate fibres, 
readily, the whole length of the stem. It is stated that a 
few hours will make a great difference in the strength 
of the fibre, and consequent quality in work and value of the 
flax. 
The immersion of the flax in water to steep, the putrefac- 
tion of some portion, the solution of soluble salts, the 
evolution of gaseous matter, and the suspension of earthy 
salts with carbonaceous refuse and organic life, are changes 
to separate the parts of the plants, which, after a period of 
time, — from seven to twenty days, — are taken from the steeps 
and water, and laid upon the ground, there exposed to light, 
to air, to changing temperature and moisture, are properly 
dried, and thus constitute the "retting" of flax. In this old and 
usual way, it will at once be seen, that with water charged 
with salts of iron, and with organic matters and lime, the 
colour and other qualities may be easily altered by cold 
water retting, and the old pits made and kept for the pur- 
pose are becoming more and more unfit, such practice brings 
no remedy by experience and time. 
The critical examination of the straw of flax has recently 
been undertaken by Dr. Hodges, of Queen's College, Bel- 
fast, with due reference to the analyses of Sir Robert Kane 
and others ; and as he gave his valuable results to the 
British ^Association at Belfast, in a well considered paper, 
