The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1852-05-22
FLAX.

Wandering along the luxuriant banks
of one of the Brazilian rivers, M. Claus
sens attention was attracted to a white,
downlike substance adhering to the branch
es Of trees. overhanging and touching the
stream. On obtaining quantity OF it, he
was so pleased with its character, that
thinking he had discovered some vegeta-
BILE product heretofore, unknown, deter
mined to trace it, if possible, to its source
and to ascertain the plant which produced
it. Pursuing his task with great ardor,
ne eventually found that the substance had
been washed from bed of flax straw, the
produce of some of his own land, and
which, long before, he had caused to be
thrown, as useless, near the bank of the
river. AS swollen waters had occasional
access TO this heap, fermentation and the
decomposition of portion of the plant
had taken place; and in time the influ-
ence of natural chemistry had so satura-
ted the filaments of the flax fibre as to
give the mass cotton like appearance and
some of it having been washed by the riv-
err, had been arrested by the overhanging
branches.
On the fact thus brought before him,
NJ. ClausSen proceeded carefully TO sea-
son, and the processes now to be described
are, therefore, the result not of mere ac-
cident, but Of inductive research.
The flax brought from the 'breaker,"
is boiled for four hours in hot caustic So
da, or stepped in cold solution of it for
"a hours. 1t is afterwards washed in
water containing per cent. Of sulphuric
acid, and then in pure water, when it is
dried and subsequently treated by scutch-
ing, heckling, &C., according to the uni
versal practice in the linen manufactures.
Here, then, we have an immense improve
ment by the long and difficult process of
fermentation, which occupied six weeks,
being entirely avoided. Yet the process
is most effective and profitable, as 20 per
cent. of long flax may be obtained instead
Of II, while the substance is far more
silky and soft. 1t is Il popular error that
Claussen's process is merely to turn flax
into cotton, which, people say is like turn
ing gold into lead; whereas he obtains by
it large proportion of the long and val
liable flax, and renders the refuse ordina-
rily considered comparatively worthless,
by poocoss now TO be explained, capa-
BILE Of being worked into cotton, wool, or
silk fabrics.
According to the mode long adopted in
the linen manufactures, an immense guam
tity Of tow is made, which can only be
used for twine and similar coarse purpo-
ses. But the chemical process employed
by M. Claussen, effects a change which
is highly important. A series Of watts are
put in re9uisition. The first vat holds a
solution Of carbonate of soda, and in this
the fibrcs, previously boiled and washed,
are saturated for quarter of an hour
1t is then removed to the next vat, in
which there is 5 per cent. Of sulphuric
acid, the effervescence causing the car
bonic acid gas to seperate and divide the
tibres, thus rendering them more floccu-
lent, and completely altering their specific
gravity, as they rise now to the top of the
vat, while before they sank to the bottom.
The next process is to place them in an
other vat of soda, to neutralize any re-
naming acid, and this being effected, they
are transferred to the bleaching water of
the fourth vat, composed Of solution Of
chloride of lime and sulphrate of magne-
sia, thus forming hyper-chlorde Of mag
nesia. In this preparation they remain
for two hours, during which they are per-
fectly bleached, requiring only to be trans
ferred to a bath Of sulphuric acid, and then
to pure water. The fibres on being with
drawn from the vat, are dried by atmos-
pheric or steam heat. They are then Ia
ken to machine similar to that used in
chaff-cutting, where they are cut into
lengths adapted for spinning or cotton ma
chinery.
To specify all to advantages secured by
these processes would far exceed our linn
its. 1t must, therefore, suffice to observe,
that the following are few out of many
Any cloth made from the flax cotton-yarn
may be readily printed, dyed and bleached
by the ordinary cotton processes. The
flax fibre from its milling properties, is
capable of being made into common felt
hats with or without any admixture of
wool. Cloth in which flax is mixed with
wool, is reduced in price frem 25 to 80
per cent. Flax may be spun with silk on
the existing silk machinery; and any use
less flax can be converted into first rate
article for the paper maker.
SPIRITUAL RApPERs.-We have not
yet been troubled with the spirits in our
city, but they may be looked for in a few
days. The citizens of Hamburger and vi
cinity, in Clark county, have been kept
in state Of wonder and excitement for
several days past. The spirit Of Wash
ington has been raised and interrogated
In answer to the enquiries, he stated that
he thought that the affairs Of Government
were very well conducted at present, ant
that the naodus operandi was satisfactory
TO him in every respect. In regard t'
Presidential matters, he stated that tn,
next occupant of the White House woult
be Wing. He also answered the sew