The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1821-1823, 1821-09-05
PREMIUMS


TOR the preparation Of FIar.
The Board of Trustees of the MAssA-
cHUsETTs SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING AGRI-
CULTURE, viewing the culture of flax as
OF primary Importance to the agricultu-
raj interests of the Commonwealth. have
adopted measures to encourage the in
production of machines for dressing that
article 1Cathoat preparation, said to be in
operation in Europe; but, concluding
that much time might probably elapse
before such machines could be introduce
ed and their practical utility demonstrate
ed; and with impressions that the injuri-
Gus preparation by deJU rotting, or the
announcement process of zater rotting,
have retarded the cultivation of this val
liable plant, the extension of which
would be Immediately promoted by the
discovery of mode less liable to OBJ
Jections, appointed Committee of the
Board to take the subject into considera-
ton, and to offer such rewards as they
might deem expedient to efectuatethe
object.
When said Committee contemplate
the powerful dissolvent and expansive
properties of steam, they are led to be-
lieve that it will speedily separate the
hbres of flax from the stem without i'm
pairing their strength, and at the same
time cleanse the material so perfectly
as to supersede the use of .4ikalies or
.4cads; and they are encouraged to hope
that its convenient application may be
made to comport with calculations of
profit. Should they be disappointed in
these expectations, they have supposed
that boiling may be resorted to in pref
erence to the usual modes of prepare
ton, especially when it is considered
that thls process, as well as Steaming,
may be performed at such seasons as
will not interfere with other important
labours.
The Committee offer,
To the person who shall prove by actu-
al experiment, the best and most
economical method of preparing fax
by Steant, which shall appear to the
satisfaction OF the Trustees, prefera-
{ BILE to the common modes, the Soci-
= ety's Gold Medal, or $50 90
To the person who shall exhibit the
next best, a'Medai, or 5000
To the person who shall prove by acu-
al experiment, the best and most
economical method of preparing flax
by boiling, which shall appear to the
satisfaction of the Trustees, prefera-
BILE TO the usual modes, the Society,s
Gold Medal. or 5O
To the person who shall exhibit the
= next best, Medal, or 5000
To the person who shall prove, by ac-
tual experiment, any ether mode of
preparing flax, that shall be deemed
by the Trustees preferable to the
usual method, the Society's Gold
Medal, or 5000
A strict compliance with the follow
ing acquisitions, will be necessary to
entitle the competitors 10 Premiums,
viz -
The experiment must be made upon
quantity that shall produce not less
than seventy-ive pounds of well-dres-
sed fax. A particular description of
the apparatus an account of the cost
of the same; the time employed, and
manner of conducting the whole pro-
cess till the material is ready to be
dressed the quantity of fuel used, and
all the items of labour and expense
And also the expense of dressing. and
the quantity dressed per day, by hand
or machinery. The whole to be at
tested by the claimant and one or more
OF his assistants, before Magistrate
These documents, with fair sample
OF the flax Of net less than FIVE pounds,
are to be deposited with BENJAMIN
GUILD, Esq. one of the Secretaries of
the Board, at his Office, State-street,
Boston, On or before the second Wednes-
day of JAuary, 1929.
S. W. PoMERoY, Chairman.
August 81, 1891.
03- The Printers in Massachusetts. from
their attachment to the interests Of Agricul-
ture, If is presumed, will readily give the A.
boye few insertions in their respective pa
pers.
WESTMINSTER, (pENN.) AUG. 90.