The Nevada journal., 1851-09-25
FLAX VERSUS COTTON.

We clip the following from the
journal of Commerce, on this subject /:
The public papers have lately oc-
cupied themselves with controversy
about the probability of finding in flax
substitute for, and victorious rival
to cotton; which, as it is alleged, has
now become possible by pretended
i. discovery by certain Peter Claus
sen, in London, of a method of so pre-
pairing flax that it can be spun by the
same machinery as cotton. The Anne
rican planters need not be alarmed,
as the idea of such a possibility can
only be conceived by men who are
entirely ignorant of technical matters
in general, and the nature of flax and
cotton in particular. Numerous at
tempts to obtain this end have, in these
fifty years, been made in Europe, by
superficial or saEguine men, but all
have failed as it was TO be expected
A microscopical examination shows,
that the cotton fibre is a hollow, cy-
lindrical fibre, covered with number,
less points, forming kind of fur,
which provides an adherence of one
fibre to others when in contact, upon
which the mechanical effect of the
spinning machinery is based whilst
that of flax is fiat, ribbon-like, and
of a smooth, glossy surface. The
consequence is, that when one fibre is
pulled out of a mass, no others will
follow or adhere 10 it of its own ac-
cord, unless drawn out by the same
means, and laid alongside of others.
Whoever has once seen the spin
ming of flax by hand with open eyes
and mind, must be satisfied Of this
and it is this essential difference of the
two materials which qualities cotton
for better absorbing and retaining the
pigments Of dyes in the interior, and
between the fine fur of its outside.
The vain attempts to overcome this
natural difference, have all been based \
upon the destruction, by chemical or
mechanical means, of those qualities
in which flax is superior to cotton,
viz, the length and greater strength
and glossiness of its fibre, and not
even partial success has been OBJ
tanned, even when fax was SO dena-
turalized, that it broke up into frag-
ments and dust in the attempts to
spin it.
Yet the only possible result was, the
invention of the machinery which is
now used to spin flax, differing in its
features and modus operandi from cot
ton machinery, as much as one fibre
differs from the other; requiring great
er care, and doing less work even
this is only obtained with the partial
loss of the strength Of the fax fibre,
as it is indisputable that in this respect,
machine-spun linen is inferior to hands
spun. l may, with this, barely men
tion, that fax, as an agricultural crop,
is one of the most precarious, most
caprcious in its demand and choice of
soil and climate, most uncertain in its
results, as well in the soil as in the
divers laborious and difficult operas
tons it requires, after being out, and
before it becomes fit for spinning.
Hence it will be, that this elder
sister will always walk alongside of
its younger competitor, cotton, and
always command price exactly
SO much higher as is warranted by its
more difficult and laborious culture
aad manipulation, its superior strength
and durability, its greater brilliancy,
smoothness Of touch, and other quali>
ties, as surely as wax candles will
always be preferred to tallow candles,
and woodcocks be better paid for than
mutton.
The following original method of