342 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
Oct, 
the peculiar qualities of those articles in the fabrics pro¬ 
duced from them. The inventor is sanguine in the be¬ 
lief that “ linen can be produced as cheap as cotton 
goods of the same fineness when raw cotton is not less 
than seven cents per pound.” He says, 
“ There can be no doubt but, by Claussen’s process, 
a valuable substitute for cotton can be produced from 
flax, and these two processes render all the flax-growing 
world independent of the cotton-growing. By neither 
process is flax wanted in its rotted state, but in the very 
condition most convenient for the farmer, and in which 
he can produce the greatest quantity.” 
Dr. L. states that a charter has been obtained from the 
legislature of Kentucky, for the incorporation of the 
Maysville Linen Company, and that the practicability of 
his process is about to be tested on a large scale. 
The following is a summary of the principal points 
claimed to have been gained by Dr. L.’s invention: 
1. The use of unrotted hemp and flax, being mowed 
or cradled, and not pulled, thus saving the great expense 
of rotting and breaking. 
2. The ability to run the coarsest and most rigid hemp 
or flax, to the finest numbers. 
3. The saving of the heretofore expensive heckling 
process, using a machine which removes from the shives 
the lumps and short fibres as they pass through. 
4. Making not more than half the tow usual. 
5. Securing uniformity and certainty of full strength 
of fiber, and greater consequent durability of the fabrics- 
6. Rendering the bleaching remarkably cheap and 
simple, where it is now difficult. 
7. Doing away entirely with the offensive smell and 
unwholesome air, now a source of such universal com¬ 
plaint in flax mills. 
French vs. American Merinos. 
Eds. Cultivator —As there has been much interest 
manifested by the community of late, in relation to the 
tl French Merino Sheep,” and as the late importations 
increase that interest, I would like to know the intrinsic 
value of those sheep compared with the Spanish or 
American Merinos. And perhaps we can come at in no 
better way than by asking a few questions, which I wish 
you or some of your correspondents to answer. First, 
what did the pure blood French Merino wool sell at per 
pound, to the manufacturer, last year? or, in other 
words, what is its relative value compared with the 
American Merino? Second, what is the relative w r eight 
of the two classes, taking the feed into consideration? 
Third, how do their constitutions compare under the 
same care, and with the same quality of food? A Sub¬ 
scriber. Vergennes , Vt., July 4, 1851. 
-- 
Advantages of Paring and Burning Soils. 
Mr. Pcsey, (Jour. R. A. S .) states, that a piece of 
very stiff clay—so stiff that it appeared to be “ clay 
untempered by any grit,” and which packed so hard in 
dry weather that it could hardly be dug with a pickaxe 
—was, in 1846, drained and breast-plowed, and a part 
burned over—the other being left on account of wet 
weather. It was sown with oats, and the produce was 
as follows: 
Where the sward was burnt,.6 qrs., or 48 bus. 
Land unburnt,... 2 16 
The same land was burnt again immediately after the 
oats were taken off; part was burnt and part left un¬ 
burnt, on account of wet weather as before. The burnt 
land yielded a good crop, the unburnt a very poor one. 
It was again pared and burned, and sowed to wheat. 
The yield on the part which had been thoroughly burnt 
for three years, was 42-^ bus. per acre. 
Mr. Pusey also relates another experiment. A por¬ 
tion of a field was dressed with burnt clay, and a por- 
tion left undressed. It was sown to wheat and the re¬ 
sult was as follows: 
Soil simple,... 37| bus. 
Dressed with 80 yards burnt clay.... 45| 
80 yards do., and sheep folded,.47 1 
Excursion to Paris. 
Pakis, August 9,1851. 
Eds. Cultivator —On the invitation of the Prefect 
and Municipality of Paris, the Commissioners, Executive 
Committee, Jurors of the Great Exhibition, and the 
Lord Mayor and a very few of the aldermen of London, 
left on the first instant, on an Excursion to Paris. I 
was fortunate in securing a place in the first train with 
my luggage. We Started at 9 A.M., and passed rapid¬ 
ly to Folkestone, mainly through the county of Kent. 
The land on the route was rather of a light character, 
and the crops not very good. In fact, taken together, 
as poor as any I have seen, except in the county of Dur¬ 
ham. Hops were frequently seen—appeared very well. 
The poles are much shorter than ours, and the vines 
much smaller. They looked healthy and vigorous, and 
a’good yield is anticipated. 
We arrived at Folkestone at half past 11, and imme¬ 
diately proceeded by steamer to Boulougne. The steam¬ 
ers on the route are small open boats—the cabins not 
large enough to hold more than 50 persons—the residue 
of the passengers are accommodated with a deck pas¬ 
sage—much like working one’s passage on the tow-path 
of the canal. The distance from Folkestone to Bou¬ 
lougne is about 29 miles. Soon after we left the harbor 
the little boat began to roll about, and the passengers, 
many of them, gave indications that they were out of 
their element. Wash-bowls, which are provided in abun¬ 
dance. were soon in requisition in every part of the boat, 
and a large portion of those on board were sea-sick, and 
looked the very pictures of despair. Among the num¬ 
ber was the Lord Mayor of London, who behaved very 
undignifiedly for the chief magistrate of the city over 
which he presides, and within whose limits he allows no 
soldiers to be quartered. But these things were soon 
ended. In two and a half hours we were landed at Bou¬ 
lougne, where we found a large company of Monsieurs, 
with soldiers in blue coats and red pantaloons, waiting 
for us. The Lord Mayor of London being the lion of 
the party, was received on landing, by the Prefect of 
Boulougne, and had to make a speech in reply to an ad¬ 
dress made him, which he managed to do quite cleverly, 
though it smacked somewhat of salt water. We w r ere 
then escorted to the railroad station, where a hot break¬ 
fast was prepared, sufficient for all. It was prepared in 
good style, abundance of fruits, such as peaches, apri¬ 
cots, plums, pears, strawberries, cherries, melons, &c. 
We did ample justice to the breakfast, and speeches, 
and wine, and hurras for the angle terres, My Lord 
Mayor, &c., were very abundant. After about two 
hours delay, we started off in two trains for Paris—the 
