The Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1818-1824, 1821-12-11
a large proportion Of the money that is now sent

7 large proportion of the money that is now senl
abroad for foreign linen manufactnres
One great difficulty in the way of our coun-
| trymen 10 the use Of flax for fine fabrcks, mas
been, the want OF an efficient mode Of pre- pairing
| il for that purpose. The practice Of rotting FAX
| in water or dew is necessarily attended with
much hazard and labour /; and the beauty Of il
is always impaired by that mode Of preparat ton
| We are much gratified at being able to state
that machine has been invented in this city
which, as far as we are able 20 Judge from oui
| own observation, and the opinion of number 81
| highly respectable gentlemen, Will fully remove
the difficulties tbat have hitherto existed with
regard to it, and answer all the purposes that
the inventor had ia view, or the farmer can de-
sire.
The inventor Of this machine is Anthony Dey.
Esq. assisted in his operations by Mr. James
M'Donald, both of this city. Mr.. Dey raised the
past season, go acres of fax on reclaimed salt
marsh lands in New jersey. As it would be i'm
possible, without mourning great expense, to pro
cure this large quantity of fax dressed in the usu-
| al manner, and not being able to obtain the
machines in use in Great Britain, he undertook
to form one for his own use and we think he
has succeeded IN uncommon degree. This
machine is intended 10 be moved by animal or
water power-it dresses fax and hemp in an I'm
roted state, and Of course, saves all the expense
! and evils Of roitng-and il is supposed. when
moved by power equal to that Of yoke token,
will dress ton Of fax in a day
Its operations are such, that il will carry
through the machine hree lenths OF flax in 4
minute ; and Its performance is so perfect, tina.
the fax is completely broke and dressed. After
having passed through the machine, il Is to be
boiled 10 manner perfectly within the power OF
every farmer; and when boiled and finished. il
is left in the finest order. We have a sample at
this Office which in point Of com pie xon, fine ness
and soitness ofbre, is very little inferior to fine
floss silk. 1t is certainly very far superior in eye-
ry respect to any fax that we have ever seen
dressed in our country and as far as we may be
allowed to judge, would be fit to be worked into
the finest fahricks Of which fax is susceptible
The whole expense Of dressing fax in this ma
chine, including that Of boiling also, it is Supposed
by the inventors, wH not exceed t,co elnis per
pound. If right in their estimate Of the amount
Of the la6our it will perform, it is very apparent
that one machine will be sufficient to dress ali
the fax raised in town.
By dressing fax in an unrotted state, there is
no doubt that much is saved in quantity, as well
as quality; as rottng 10 either mode is essential.
| ly injurious to 1t, appearance. Unrotted flax is
also said to be much stronger and more substan-
tial than that which is rotted.
We consider this most fortunate and useful
dis everyone that will prove highly beneficial
to the agricultural interests Of our couRtry.-
Whltney's Cotton Machine was the great cause
Of the introduction into The southern states Of the
culture Of CO lon and the result Of that singl Z
invention has been the SOURCE % untold n,.II;oas
OF profit to the planters. We hope Dey's Flaz
Dressing Machine may prove the source of much
wealth to the northern farmers, by turning the
attention to this most useful aud profitable com
modify, and inducing them to raise hundred
fold ofther former products.