Teatile Fabrics. 97 
last half century, have been brought forward,) whether some 
mode of cleansing flax without inducing the formation of 
the drab colouring matter by retting might not produce 
filaments further separated, equally lustrous, and of a 
colour requiring little or no bleaching for ordinary cloths. 
Such a method would also diminish the codilla or remove 
the necessity for its production. The opinion is still firmly 
entertained by some whose lives have been chiefly spent in 
studying the flax plant and its products, that the present 
mode of obtaining the fibre is of comparatively modern 
date, and that ancient civilization had modes of imme- 
diately obtaining the fibre in a better and more treatable 
state. There seems reasonable ground for supposing it to 
be perfectly practicable if operated upon direct from the 
lant. 
® But the notable improvement which has been proposed 
during the past few years is the complete separation of the 
fibre into its individual cells. These vary very much in 
different qualities of flax. From coarse flaxes they are of 
a fineness about equal to Middling New Orleans Cotton, 
varying in length from I to 1# inches. The cell of the 
finer flaxes being proportionately elongated. They are of 
great brilliancy, are comparatively smooth-surfaced, straight 
and nearly cylindrical: may be spun on cotton machinery, 
especially if previously combed (an expense only admis- 
sible for first-class uses). UUncombed, it is to be feared that 
the linty parts so difficult to avoid during its preparation 
would, for fine yarns, cause considerable unevenness; and 
that this alone would prove a serious drawback to its being 
employed as a general substitute for cotton; because, 
the shorts produced by the breakage of the cells (which, 
though capable of more tensions than cotton are also more 
brittle), can be fully carded out, yet the length of the 
whole is rendered objectionably uneven. Nevertheless, as 
a set off against the expense of combing, the noil would be 
a stronger material for heavy fabrics than an ordinary 
Indian cotton. Ifcombed, it would produce cloths probably 
superior, to the finest cambric in evenness of make. 
Whether superior in glassyness of surface, experience alone 
could decide—as its position in this respect towards 
cambric flax may be considered somewhat analogous to 
the position of spun silk towards thrown silk. Unques- 
tionably, a fabric of great beauty would be produced under 
suitable means of finish. It would also, doubtless, be a 
valuable mixing fibre for short draft silks; adding to them 
