FLAX, Linum, a genus of plants comprising the greater part of the natural order linacew; an exogenous order allied to geraniacem and oxalklem, and consisting of annual and perennial herbaceous plants, with a few small shrubs. There are about ninety known species of this order scattered over the globe, but most abundant in Europe and the n. of Africa. Their leaves are simple, entire, without stipules, and generally alternate. The COMMON FLAX or LINT (L. usitatissimum) is -an annual; a native of Egypt, of some parts of Asia. and of the s. of Europe, not truly indigenous in Britain, although now naturalized, and often occurring in cornfields, which is the case also in many parts of the world. The most common variety of the F. plant has a very slender erect stem, 2 or 3 ft. high, branching only near the top, so as to form a loose corymb of flowers. The leaves are small, distant, and lanceolate; the flowers of a beautiful blue, rarely white, rather broader than a sixpence; the petals slightly notched along the margin; the sepals ovate, 3-nerved, ciliated, destitute of glands; the capsules scarcely longer than the calyx, not bursting open elastically, but firmly retaining their seeds, which are dark brown, glossy, oval-oblong, flattened, with acute edges, pointed at one end, and about a line in length. Another variety, however, is cultivated to some extent in many parts of Europe, so different, that some botanists account it a distinct species (L. Aumile or L. crepilans), which is less tall, is more inclined to branch, and is particularly distinguished by its capsules, twice as long as the calyx, and bursting open elastically when ripe: The seeds are also larger and paler. This variety ig called Springleiri and Klanglein by the Germans, the one name to the elastic bursting of the capsules, the other to the sound which accompanies it. referring former variety is known to them as Winterlein, being often sown in the end of autumn in elevated dis tricts where the summer is too short for spring-sown F., and also as Schlieszlein • and Dreschlein, from its close capsules and the thrashing needed to separate the seed. The Siringlein produces a finer, whiter, and softer fiber than the other, but shorter, and it is therefore not so extensively cultivated. There are many sub-varieties, to which and their different qualities no such attention has been paid, in Britain at least, as to those of other important cultivated plants.
This plant is highly valuable both for the fibers of its inner bark and for its seeds. The fibers of the inner bark, when separated both from the bark and from the inner woody portion of the stem, arc FLAX or LINT, the well-known material of which LINEN thread and cloth are made, and used equally for the finest and for the coarsest fabrics, for the most delicate cambric or exquisite lace, and for the-strongest sail-cloth. The
seeds yield by expression the drying fixed oil called LINSEED Oit„ so much used for mixing paints, making varnishes, etc.; whilst the remaining crushed mass is the lin seed cake, or OIL-CAKE, greatly esteemed for feeding cattle. and when ground to a fine powder, becomes the LINSEED MEAL so useful for poultices. Linseed is sometimes used in medicine, as an emollient and demulcent in irritations of the pulmonary and of the urinary organs, and of the mucous membranes generally, deriving its value for this purpose from a mucilage which it contains, and which is extracted by hot water, mak ing linseed tea. The flier of F. is the ultimate material from which paper is made, and oil is used in the manufacture of printers' ink. No plant not yielding food is more useful to man than the F. plant.
It has been cultivated from the earliest historic times. It is mentioned in the book of Exodus as one of the productions of Egypt in the time of the Pharaohs; and it has been recently ascertained by microscopic examination, that the cloth in which the mummies of Egypt are enveloped is linen. Solomon purchased linen yarn in Egypt.' Herodotui speaks of the great F. trade of Egypt. Great quantities of F. arc in that country at the present day; its cultivation is also very extensively carried on in some parts of Europe and of North America. The proportion of F. to other crops in Britain is prob ably smaller at present than it was at a former period, but an increase of its cultivation has been strongly recommended by persons whose opinion is entitled to great regard, and particularly in Ireland, where, however, it is more extensively cultivated than either in England or Scotland. It has the advantage of giving employment not only to an agricultural but to a manufacturing population. F. is more extensively and more successfully cultivated in Belgium than in any other European country, particularly in southern Brabant, Hainault, and w. and c. Flanders, in which the most beautiful F. in Europe is produced, employed for the manufacture of the famous Brussels lace, and sold for this purpose at about to £180 per ton, the crop when prepared for the market sometimes exceeding in value the land on which it was produced. The village of Rebeque is distinguished for the production of this precious flax. The greatest care is bgstowed on its cultivation, and to this its excellence is probably in a great measure to be ascribed. Not a. weed is to be seen, and the care and labor are equal to those of gardening. F. is extensively grown in the countries on the southern shores of the Baltic, and both the fiber and seed are largely imported from them into Britain. Besides the F. raised at home, the United kingdom imported in 1875; 88,253 tons, dressed and undressed.