Localities. — In corn-fields, sandy pastures, and Downs; most common in tlie 
W estern, Counties. 
Annual. — Flowers in June and July. 
Root simple, slender, fibrous, of a pale brown colour. Herb very 
smoo h. Stem from 1 to 2 feet high, upright, round, straight, leafy, 
branched only at the top. Leaves alternate, sessile, pointed, 3- 
ribbed, quite entire, rather glaucous ; the lowermost short and 
blunt. Flowers several, growing in a corymbose panicle, on round, 
smooth peduncles. Calyx permanent. Sepals egg-shaped, pointed, 
or mucronate, 3-nerved, with scarious or membranaceous, irregu- 
larly fringed margins. Corolla large, and rather handsome. Petals 
wedge-shaped, thin and delicate, readily dropping ofif, blue, glossy, 
with numerous darker coloured veins. Filaments dilated at the 
base, where they are slightly united. Anthers at first oblong, but 
finally arrow-shaped, incumbent, blue. Styles somewhat club- 
shapad, blue. Capsule roundish, with a sharp point. Seeds ellip- 
tical, highly polished. 
This species is said to be found commonly all over Europe ; in North America, 
and in Asia; even on the Neelgherry hills of India. The seeds yield, by ex- 
pression only, a large portion ofoil, well known tinder the name of Lint-seed 
oil, which is sometimes used in medicine. When heat is applied, it acquires a 
yellqwish colour, and is used by painters and varnishers. After the oil is ex- 
pressed, the remaining farinaceous part is the oil-cake upon which oxen are 
fattened. I'he seeds also contain a large quantity of bland mucilage, whence 
their use in decoction as demulcents. Lint-seed meal forms one of the materials 
for cataplasms ; and the oil mixed with lime-water has lieen a favourite appli- 
cation to burns. The fibres of the stem of this plant are manufactured into thread 
and linen cloth, from the finest cambric to the coarsest canvass ; and this, w hen 
worn to rags, is made into paper. For these purposes flax has been cultivated 
from the earliest ages, and for an unknown length of time in Britain, and other 
northern parts of Europe. At one period private families raised enough for their 
own consumption, but the process of maceration proving highly detrimental to 
the stieams and common ponds. Acts were passed, in the reigns of Henry VIII. 
and our first James, to prevent this process being carried on in any stream or 
pond where cattle drank, under a heavy penalty. Lite new plan of steeping flax 
in hot water with soft soap, is said to be a great improvement, and it was for this 
process that a secret or unenrolled patent was granted about 25 years ago to 
Lee, its inventor. This process is said to separate the fibre from the woody 
matter better than steeping in water; and this in the short space of two or three 
hours. The flax used in this country is chiefly of foreign growth, for, notwith- 
standing the rewards latterly held out by the Legislature to encourage its domes- 
tic culture, it is found in well-peopled districts to be an unprofitable investment, 
not only from its inferior value to corn, but from its being one of the most ex- 
hausting crops that can be grown, especially when allowed to ripen its seeds. 
Our principal supplies are from Russia, the Netherlands, and Prussia; some is 
also brought from France, Egypt, and even from New South Wales. — S eeBurn. 
Outl. of Hot. ; With. Bot. Arr. ; Loud. Ency. of Agricutt., SfC. 
The few plants which compose the Natural Order Line#., are mostly herba- 
ceous. Their leaves are entire, and without stipules. Their calyx consists of 
from 3 to 5 sepals, which are permanent, and imbricated in the bud. Their 
corolla is formed of 4 or 5 petals, which are twisted in the bud, and very fuga- 
cious. Their stamens vary from 3 to 5, with their filaments united at the base 
into an hypogynous ring, with small teeth (abortive stamens) between them. 
The ovary has about the same number of cells as there are sepals, and as many 
styles. The stigmas are capitate. The capsule is globose, and crowned with 
the permanent base of the styles ; each cell is partially divided into two by a spu- 
rious dissepiment, and opens with 2 valves at the apex. The seeds are solitary 
in each cell, compressed, and inverted; with flat cotyledons ; and a straight 
embryo, with the radical pointing towards the hilum. 
The only British genera in this order are, Linum, t.353.; and Radiola, 1. 188. 
