It is seldpm that the farmer prepares his own flax ; usually he sells it as a standing crop to a " flax-worker," and this fact, of the manipulation of thd straw forming a distinct industry, ensures more skill being brought to bear, and accounts in a great measure for the superiority of the Belgian flax. The best descriptions are prepared in the Courtrai district, where the river Lys is available for retting pur poses, and where geuerations of flax dressers have earned a livelihood. The Lys is practically a canal, and the slowness of its current, and (?) softness of its water, have much to do with the quality of the flax prepared in its neighbourhood. The bundles are packed in wooden crates, lined all around with straw, to prevent the flax coming into contact with the sides, and to impede the cur rent flowing through the flax. The bundles are packed vertically, and covered with straw. The filled crates are then floated into the river and kept near the hank by tying to stakes ; boards are laid on the top of the straw, and loaded with stones, so as to sink the crates and submerge the flax. The retting is not allowed to advance far, when the flax is taken out, and set up in hollow cones (as shown in Fig. 667), and dried ; it is then retied, repacked, and put back into the river to complete the ratting. The Belgians do not rely only upon the test mentioned above for ascertaining when the retting should be terminated, but employ an additional one : the fibre is carefully separated from a single straw, and held about 6 in. apart ; it is then placed close to the ear, and gently jerked-it should not break, and if sufficiently retted, the sound should be soft, if not, the sound is sharp and ringing ; only the most skilful can discriminate the condition by this delicate test. The lapse of a long period between the first and second retting is considered favourable for the production of superior fibre. When the retting is complete, the flax is again set up in cones, and left till the fibre separates from the woody core ; it is then tied in single beets, and stored for scotching.
Before scotching, each beet is opened, and sorted by ex perienced manipulators ; that in perfect condition is put by for first-class fibre ; that which is over-retted is scutched separately ; and that which is " hard " is made up into bundles, and ratted n third time. The best flax is scotched by hand, though machines are largely used. The latter are rude and simple, and generally home made.
In the so-called "blue districts," the flax is retted in stagnant water, the same season as grown. In some instances, to improve the colour, branches of alder are tied into faggots, and put into the ditches some time before the retting season ; these are removed before the flax is put in, the leaves being in a decomposed state. The water, of a black colour, is then stirred by long paddles, and the flax is packed in the ditches as in Ireland.
France. -Well-manured, light clay soils are preferred. Of manures, horse-dung and guano are considered detrimental, as drying the fibres. It is common to herd sheep on the ground, or to manure with cow-dung and sewage. The common rotation gives one crop of flax in 7 years,
though rotations of 10, 11, and 14 years are sometimes adopted. The flax crop may follow pasture, clover, hemp, oats, carrots, beaus, potatoes, beet, or colza. In N. France, the usual rotation in good soil is :-1st year, wheat ; 2nd, rye and turnips ; 3rd, oats ; 4th, flax ; 5th, clover ; 6th, colza ; 7th, potatoes. On good stiff soils ;-1st, potatoes ; 2nd, wheat ; 3rd, flax ; 4th, clover ; 5th, rye; 6th, oats ; 7th, buckwheat. On poorish sandy soils :-1st, flax ; 2nd, rye ; 3rd, clover ; 4th, buckwheat ; 5th, carrots ; 6th, potatoes; 7th, barley. On a rich loam (10-12 years' rotation) :-1st, beet ; 2nd, oats ; 3rd, clover ; 4th, wheat ; 5th, flax ; 6th, wheat ; 7th, beans ; 8th, wheat ; 9th, potatoes ; 10th, wheat ; 11th, oats. The treatment of the best French flax differs little from the Belgian method, in fact, quantities of it are taken to the Lys for retting.
Holland.-The land is considered best for flax after one crop of rye or oats, preceded by rape. On broken-up lea lands, it is a risky crop ; but such lands after oats are favourable. The quantity of seed used is about 21 bush. an acre-* less when it is home-saved seed. Weeding begins when the plants are in. high, and lasts 6 weeks. The saving of sowing-seed being an important point, the time of pulling is principally regulated by the condition of the seed, which is tested by cutting the capsule across, so as to sever the seed, the section of which should exhibit a compact defined form, and not appear displaced by the knife. As pulled, the flax is tied in beets, and stocked as shown in Fig. 683 ; it remains in the field till dry enough to be couveyed in barges to the retting pond. It is put into small stacks, or stored in a barn, and rippled. It is then rotted in ditches of stagnant water ; these have been previously cleared out, and the mud is used as a covering for the flax. The rotting is conducted much the same as in Ireland. The grassing receives great care in ordinary weather, the flax is spread in the usual manner; but if very wet and broken, it remains in the beets, three of which are placed upright, leaning against each other, to get partially air-dried, after which each beet is out loose, and placed in a cone, as shown in Fig. 667, till dry enough for storing ; it is always put into these cones for final drying.
Russia.—Though Russia grows more flax than any other country, the modes of culture and preparation are unequalled for rudeness and carelessness. The coarseness of Russian flax is partly due to the thin sowing, which is done to lessen the liability of the crop being laid by the severe thunder-storms, of common occurrence at the time when it is in flower.
Characters and Uses of the Fibre. —Of all vegetable fibres, flax occurs in the greatest variety, as regards the length of the filaments, their colour, fineness, and strength ; but the fibrous bundle always retains the character of being very readily divisible into its distinct filaments, by rubbing it between the fingers ; it then becomes soft and extremely supple, while preserving a great tenacity.