Nebraska advertiser., 1861-07-18
g11sreI1aue0ms.
Flax as Substitute for Cotton.

Flax as Substitute for Cotton.
Since the ustal supply of cotton ha,
been cut off by the blockade of the South
ern ports, public attention has beer
aroused to institute measures for obtain
| ing substitute for it. The Board o
Trade in this city. at a recent meeting
discussed the subject at much length, anC
proposed the formation OF an association
for the Development and application. o.
fax to take the place of cotton in oul
manufactures More zeal than knOwl
edge distinguished the proceedings of the
Bard 10 relation 10 this question. If we
cannot obtain cotton fO our manufactures
of course We must have SOM thing else;
but in the present state of the arts flax
cInnot b. produced as a cheap substitute
for it The public should be made aware
of this fact, so that there may be no de-
lusion on this important question. We
shall endeavor to make this perfectly
clear
The fiber of cotton exists free in the
ball as 1t picked from the plant, and il
only requires to be subjected to the sim
pie mechanical operation of ginning to re-
move the seed, when it is fit for the first
operations IN the factory. Flax, on the
other hand, requires to be rippled or
threshed, then rotted. dried and skutched
involving several extensive chemical and
mechanical operations, extending over a
number of days, to put it in the condition
obtained by the simple gin in the case of
cotton. Flax grows like grass; it has a
stalk with a pith or woody heart, and the
fiber forms the sheath. This fibep IS ce-
mented with vegetable que and bitumen,
which have to be decomposed by the rot
ting process before the pith can be re-
moved and the fiber set free. Improved
processes may be discovered to render the
preparation of fax less expensive, but we
think, than that of cotton.
At the present time, the prices of cot
ton in our market range from 1 1-4c per
pound for ordinary upland. Is 5-Sc per
pound for fair New Orleans. In ordl-
nary peaceful times, the prices range
about Two cents less than the above
Flax, of an equal degree of fneness of
fair cotton, is not an article commonly sold
in our markets but in Europe it is four
times the price Of cotton. Why, our
common dressed American hemp, a coarse
fiber of the fax species, is the same price
as ordinary uplond cotton, ard Italian
hempis IL lac. per pound by the tun.
Another mistaken idea has also been
disseminated among the community,
namely. that by reducing fax to what is
called flax cotton" it becomes a substitute
for common cotton. The process of cot
tonizing fax consists in red cling it to
short fiber by a combined chemical and
mechanical process.
Several years 20 Chetalier Claussvn
produced considerable of a sensation IN
Europe in making fax cotton, by first
sleeping the fax in a strong solution of
carbonate Of soda then il dilute sulphUric
acid The acid disengaged carbonlc aeld
gas in the pores of the fax, and split the
ibers into short staple. This process
has been fairly tested in this country, but
without peCuniary success. Several other
parties besides Claussen have introduced
peculiar modes of cottonizing fax; and
the Lyman process, by subjecling il TO
high pressure steam first, theu permitting
It to expand suddenly effects this object
IN most siupl and not too expensive.
But we cannot impress the fact too strong
ly upon the public mind, that, in the pre-
para,ion Of dax for spinning. the cotton
izjng of it IS the very thing which should
be avoided, Oue of the valuable quali-
ties of fax consists in its long fiber
This enables it to be spun upon proper
machinery at less expense than cotton
1t is therefore, mistaken notion to re-
duce the fiber Of fax to cotton condition
10 fit it for spinning on cotton machinery.
The great expense connected with it is
its preparation, and Obtaining long sta
pie; and every attempt at improving the
the processes connected with its treatment
should have special reference to prevent
the cottonizing of it. We do not wish TO
discourage the cultivation of fax and the
development of its manufactures, but we
consider it our duty to warn enthusiasts
against the delusion of raising fax. and
manufacturing it into goods to be sold al
anything like so cheap price as cotton
fabrics have been furnished during the
last thirty Scientific American.