STUDIES ON FLAX BETTING. 
43 
roots, the terminal ends etc. are not removed from the stem. From the 
results we see that the real loss is always much smaller than the total loss, 
the difference being about 4%. This must be due to the separation of 
remaining leaves, seeds, seed capsules and soil particles which are attached on 
the roots and terminal ends. 
That a greater part of the loss takes place already at the end of first 
period of the retting, is proved by the results of our experiments shown in the 
following table. 
Table 3- 
Retting period. 
Total loss. 
Real loss. 
in % of 
dry matter. 
Ratio. 
in % of 
dry matter. 
Ratio. 
End of the first period... 
14.00 
73 
8.21 
55 
End of the middle period. 
15.70 
82 
11.53 
77 
End of the last period... 
19.15 
100 
14.95 
100 
The change of water increases the loss of weight in the stem during ret- 
ting, as the following results of our experiments show. 
Table I . 
Expt. 
"Water changed. 
Water unchanged. 
Difference. 
I 
18.56 % 
14.7 % 
3.86 % 
n 
17.51 % 
13.6 % 
3.91 % 
From the table we see that by changing the water twice during retting 
the increase of the loss of about 4% is secured. 
On the other hand, the extension of the period over the usual time has 
but slight effect upon the loss of weight. In our experiments when the period 
was made twice as long as usual without changing the water, the loss of weight 
was found to be 16.8% of air dry stem, vis. 14.7% in the usual period. 
The loss of weight suffered by the stem during retting is caused by the 
combined action of micro-organisms and the extractive power of water. 
