"At the end of that time the fibers become loose, and may be easily removed from the rest of the stem, which has rotted into a soft pulpy sort of matter. The hard, woody parts, which have not rotted, have been made very brittle by the steeping. These are separated from the fibers by a process called breaking and scutching.
"The flax, freed from all this useless matter, is tied up in bundles weighing from 16 to 24 lbs. each, and is ready for the workman."SUMMARY
The ?ax-plant grows from two to three feet high, and bears pretty blue flowers. Its seeds are the linseed from which we extract oil. Linen is made from the bass fibers of the inner bark of the stem. The plants are pulled up when ripe, and after drying in the sun are rippled to remove the seed-pods. They are then steeped in water to make the soft parts of the stem rot. The scutching process, which follows, is to remove the hard, woody parts, and leave the bast fibers free.
Lesson 60
Linen-Making
