New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-06-23
CHANCES AT EUROPE. No. XII
The FIax-CottOn Revolution.

EdItsrlal Cores pOndenCc OF The IrlDune
LONDON, Wednesday, June T. 1851.
ALTHOUGH | have not yet found time for
careful and thorough examination OF the ma
chinery and processes recently invented or adopt
ed in Europe for the manufacture of cheap fab
rics from Flax, have seen enough to assure me
OF their value and importance, have been dis
appointed only with regard to machinery for
Flax Dressing, which seems, on a casual lnspec-
ton to be far less efficient than the best on our
side of the Atlantic, especially that patented of
late in Missouri and Kentucky That in opera
alton in the British Machinery department OF
the Exhibition does its work faultlessly except
that it turns out the product too slowly rough
" estimate that our Western machines are at
least twice as efficient.
NJ. CLAUssEN Is here and has kindly explained
to me his processes and shown me their products
He is no inventor OF Flax dressing Machinery at
all. and claims nothing in that line In dressing,
he adopts and uses the best machines he can
find and think is destined r. rea15t he claims
Is mainly the discovery of a cheap chemical sol
vent of the Flax fiber whereby It's coarseness and
harshness are removed and the hneness and soft
ness OF Cotton induced IN their stead. This he
has accomplished Some OF his FlaXCOtton Is
scarcely distnguiShable from the Sea Island
staple, while to other samples he has given the
character of Wool very nearly | can imagine
no reason why this Cotton should not be spun
and woven rs easily as any other. The staple
may be rendered of any desired length, though
the usual average Is about two inches. 1t Is as
white as any Cotton, being made 20 by any easy
and cheap bleaching process. NJ ClauSSen'S
process IN lieu of Rottng requires but three
hours for It's completion Il takes the Flax as 1t
came from the field only somewhat dryer and
with the seed beaten of, and renders II thorough
" lit for breaking The plant Is allowed to RI
pen before II is harvested. that the seed Is all
saved, while the tediousnesS and injury TO the
fiber not to speak of the uwholesomeness of
the old-fashOned RottiRg processes are entirely
obvlated Where warmth Is desirable IN the
fabrics contemplated, the staple Is made to re-
semble Wool quite closely Specimens dyed
red, blue, yellow, &c are exhibited, TO show
how readily and satisfactorily the FaxCotton
takes any color that may be desired. Beside
these he rolls of FlanueS, FEELINGS and almost
every variety of plain textures. fabricated wholly
mig under NJ Caussens patent, proving the
adaptation OF tins fiber 10 almost every use now
subserved by either Cotton or Wool The mix
lures of Cotton and Flax, Flax Cotton and Wool.
are excellent and seryiceable fabrics.
The main question still remains to be consld-
ered-Will 1t pay Flax may be grown almost
every where-two or three crops year Of It IN
some climates-three times the present annual
product of Cotton. Flax and Wool all combined
could easily be produced even next year. But
unless cheaper fabrics all things considered.
can be produced from Flax Cotton than from the
Mississippi staple tins fact is Of little worth
On this vital point must OF course rely on tes-
timony. and NJ ClausSen's Is as follows
He saws the'Flax-straw. or the ripe, dry plant
as il comes from the field, with the seed taken
of. NAV be grown even here Tor $40 per tun.
but he viii concedc It's cost for the present 20
be- SIS per tun deln cred, a. II : necessary that
liberal inducements shall be given for rs exten
Siye cultivation SIX tun, OF the straw or fax IN
the bundle viii yield one run OF dressed and
clean fiber the cost OF dressing which by his
methods 50 as TO make II Flax Cotton, Is S3j per
tun tOur superior Western machinery oueh'
CNI>ntIdhlN 10 stfltt t4lNI III tNiil cost OF
the Flax-Couon, therefore. viii be SIPS per tun
OF SIX cents per pound. while Flax Is It comes
from the field Is worth SIS per tun. should TIN,
come down TO SlO per tun, the cost OF III fber
VIII he reduced TO sos per tun. or less than five
cents per pound. At that rate, good 6eld-hand>
must De- rather slow Of sale for Cotlon-planmg 40
LEGO each. OF even 500
Is there any doubt that Flax-straw may be
prohtably grown m the United States for SIS or /
even Sl0 per tun Consider that It has been cx- /
tensIyely grown for wears. even IN our own State.
tor the seed only, the straw beng thrown out to
rot and being positive nuisance 10 the grower /
Now the seed il morally certain 10 command for 4
two OF three years at least. higher price than 4
hitherto because OF the increased growth and ex- /
tended use Of the fiber. Let no farmer who has
Flax growing be tempted to sell the >eed by con
tract o. otherwise for the present let none be
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