FLAX. 
The flax is a very useful plant, for the fibers of its 
stems are long and strong, and are spun into thread and 
then woven into linen. 
Besides this, the seeds are useful. 
They contain an oil which is pressed 
out and is known as linseed oil. It is 
used a great deal by painters in mix- 
A'j ing their paints. 
When flaxseeds are wet they become 
very sticky on the outside. A jelly-like 
substance covers them, and this it is 
which we drink in " flaxseed tea" to 
cure our colds. 
You can easily see this jelly-like 
covering by putting a few flaxseeds in 
a few drops of water and leaving them 
there a little while. 
You can readily see that when the 
flaxseeds are shed in the field and are met by the rain, 
they would stick to the feathers, feet, and beaks of 
birds that came to eat the seeds. If the birds flew 
to another place, as they often would, to clean their 
plumage, they would rub off the flaxseeds, that mean- 
78 
Flax. 
