The Minnesotian. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1851-1852, 1851-09-17

crease in length and diminution of bulk
could be obtained. But how was this feat
to be accomplished? Hair-spliiting, even
upon a small scale, has always been con-
sidered as partaking somewhat Of the i'm
practicable and to accomplish this pro-
cess upon a large scale-to split this
fine hair-like substance by hundred
weights at u time, and 10 do it at a triilng
cost--would appear 10 be beyond the
bounds of possibility. The feat has, how
ever, been accomplished by the Chevalier
Clauss scn--and what is more, the result is
effected instantancosssly. We have al
ready stated that in the processes required
for the preparation of the flax for the flax
spinner, it was boiled in a weak solution
OF caustic soda. We will now suppose
that, instead of staying the process at this
stage for the ilax-spinner, it should be re-
quired to carry it further, and to prepare
the fiber for the cotton-spinncr. The flax
would be taken out Cf the vat containing
the solution of caustic soda, washed and
placed in another containing solution OF
carbonate of soda, till saturated with the
salt, and afterward put into bath con-
tanning weak solution Of SUI phuric or
other acid. The hollow cylinders of the
iibers will, by the laws of the capillary at
traction, speedily become charged with the
acidulated solution in which they are pla-
ced. The acid, coming in contact with
the soda which the fiberS had taken up in
the first and second solutions, will gcner..
ate carbonic gas, the expansive frce OF
which will split or divide che hhers into
Il vast number of ribbon-likc filaments,
which. examined under the microscope,
will present all the appearance of raw cot
ton. When cardcd and spun, it will be
found that the produce in yarn of the pound
Of flax, thus treated, instead Of being less
in quantity than that of cotton, will be
considerably more--the difference varying
according to the character of the fiber OPP
Grated upon, and the strength of the ma
terials employed. At meeting OF the
Council of the Royal Agricultural Society,
held in February last, Professor Way, the
consulting chemist OF the society, showed
this very beautiful and simple process
The following is the account given of it by
Mr.. Huason the secretary of the society,
in his report of the proceedings of the
meeting:
'sAlthough we have long been practically
familiar with the expansive effects of aeri-
form huids suddenly disengaged chemi-
cally from on apparently and inert
substance like gunpowder, either in fire
arms or the blasting of rock, and with their
elastic recol when released from the pres
sure Of condensation, as in the air-gun or
the liquid gases Of DR.. Faraday, we We're
not prepared for so beautiful an instance
of the application of this principle as the
one Chevalier Claussen has given us in
the splitting of vegetable fiber, by convey
ing into its interstices the carbonic acid
gas concealed in condensation and chemi
cal alliance with soda, and then setting it
free 10y the addition OF acid, which breaks
off that alliance by its own superior cleo
tive affinity for the alkali. Means shown
in their result to be SO powerful, and in
their operation so gentle yet decisive, gave
to the simple experiment, made in the
presence of the council by Professor Way,
more the air Of a new instance of natural
magic, than the sober reality of an ordi-
nary operation of natural laws, of which
the application only was novel; and its
effect on the meeting was accordingly both
singular and striking, occasioning evident
marks of their agreeable surprise and ad-
miration at the result obtained. The flax
fiber soaked in the solution of sub-car-
Donate of soda was no sooner immersed in
the vessel containing the acidulated water,
than its character became at once changed,
from that of damp, rigid aggregation of
flax, TO light, expansive mass OF cottony
texture, increasing in size like leavening
dough, or an expanding sponge. The
change was no less striking when this
converted mass in its turn was placed in
the next vessel, which contained the hy-
po-chlorite of magnesia, and became al
once bleached, attaining then the color, as
it had just before received'the texture of
cotton"
One great advantage in connection with
this mode of preparing the flax--and it is
one of the highest importance TO the agri-
cultu-ist-is, that the flax will not be re-
quired-to be pulled before it is fully and
completely ripe, as is now the case where
q fine flax is required. A valuable crop
of fully ripened seed may therefore'be OBJ
tanned in addition to the fiber. Moreover,
we are told that the flax cotton may be
prepared at cost considerably less than
that at which cotton can be proftably
grown and imported. y
Of course. it is not to be supposed that,
in order to prepare flax cotton, any per-
son would act so absurdly as to purchase
flax stepped and scutched in the mode in
which it is usually brought into the mar
ket for the fiag-spinner. The great point
in the invention is, that the flax may be
taken from the field, and converted into a
soft, cotton-like substance, at cost con-
siderably less than that incurred even in
the ordinary modes Of sleeping and scutch-