This genus is a most important one in domestic 
economy. The Linum usitatissimum, or common 
flax, from which linen cloth is prepared, is of very 
ancient culture. It has long been a matter of en- 
quiry whether the “ fine linen” mentioned in the 
scriptures was really what we now call linen, or whe- 
ther it was cotton. The question seems at length 
determined. The Philosophical Magazine, Novem- 
ber, 1834, contains an interesting paper from James 
Thomson, Esq. on the mummy cloth of Egypt; 
pieces of which have been demonstrated to be lin- 
en. Mr. Thomson says he obtained the assistance 
of Mr. Baur, whose microscopic drawings are so 
well known to the scientific world. He transmitted 
to Mr. Baur various fibres of cotton and linen, both 
manufactured, and in their raw state, as well as fibres 
of unravelled mummy cloth, and in a few days he 
received from him a letter, in which he pronounced 
every specimen of mummy cloth, subjected to his ex- 
amination, to be linen. 
The letter was accompanied by a beautiful draw- 
ing, (an engraving of which is in the Philosophical 
Magazine) exhibiting the fibres of both raw and 
unravelled cotton, as flattened cylinders, twisted like 
a corkscrew, whilst the fibres of various mummy 
cloths were straight and cylindrical. 
The envelopes of a great number of mummies 
were subsequently examined, and all proved to be 
linen ; and the distinction of the two substances is so 
perfect, that Mr. Baur says that with Ploessl’s mi- 
croscope he can ascertain whether cotton rags have 
been mixed with linen in any manufactured paper 
whatever. 
