Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1886-02-27
AGRICULTURE.
A FLAX-CLEANING MACHINE.

RsPOb IA A<IlllCy IdUCt
the invention and success
sui introduction Of a machine for the
stripping Of lax. In relation to its
value it says: 1t is well-known that
the flax, after it is gathered, is submit
ted to a process termed rotting, which
is effected by immersion in water long
enough to extract the gum which con-
fines the woody fiber TO the chaffy out
side. After rotting the flax is stripped;
this is done by rough machines termed
crushers, ordinarily composed of two
grooved cylinders. which break the
outer covering. but not without bruis-
ing and often breaking the fiber as
we'll; the flax then passes to the mill,
which drives off tho loosened peel.
Other landings are required and these
cost time and labor. and leave the fiber
bruised and entang led and again, in
passing from the peeler to the spin
ming mill the fiber becomes still more
~entangled; the carding is thus render
cd difficult and the loss is considerable.
The new process consists IN taking a
handful of stalks in a press similar to
that of flax-combing machines; these
are received on a carriage, which moves
slowly on an endless chain, and are
Immediately pierced by steel pins,
which forward and backward
horizontally. and prick the outer sur
face and divide it into small bits, which
loosen themselves and fall in particles.
The fiber remains intact, and none is
p~erceptible among the heaps of
chat. After this the stalks are
nearly stripped of skin, of which, new
ortheless, some particles still adhere,
which are entirely removed as they
pass through q mill with fans. 1t then
enters upon the third portion of the
machine, which is a combing machine,
differing from the ordinary combing
machines in being arranged with fewer
combs. 1t is claimed that by this pro-
cess the stalks of flax will turn out as
much combed flax per pound as by the
old process was produced Of peeled
flax. For instance, with flax stalks
weighing 100 Kilograms, which yielded
formerly 20 Kilograms of peeled stalk
and II Kilograms of combed flax, this
new process would give 20 Kilograms
of combed flax. From the first infor-
nation attainable from several spin
ners, the reduction of cost is estimated
at 40 per cent. per kilogram for the
spun flax. The labor is triiling. Each
pair of machines employees three boys.
about the same as combing machines.
Those in the trade comprehend the ad-
vantages of these results and attach
great Importance to them, and are
adapting their business to the new
manufacturers have begun already TO
purchase the stalks from the farmers
and to do the stripping in their factor
los which was formerly done in the
country. These machines can be
erected wherever a supply OF flax can
be obtained. The stalks can be pooled
by this new machinery, and the fiber
combed and prepared for shipment TO
the linen manufacturer. Nearly all
OF the spinners who have seen the new
machines have ordered them. The
maker has orders now for the con-
struction of 238 machines. The in
ventor of this machine is nj. Jules Car
don. He has been superintendent OF
combing in the Union linen-works OF
the north, and was awarded last year
a prize by the Industrial society OF the
north for an improved comber. He
has tried for ten years to invent a
peeler. This third attempt seems to
be successful.
REVOLUTION IN STOCK FOOD.
Tho practical success of ensilage
without a silo-that is, preservation OF
grass and other green forage in open
air stacks under pressure-opens up,
says The Times, of London. a new
prospect of great economy in the feed
ing of dairy cattle. For summer con-
sumption grass M not be improved
upon, but for winter milk production
hay is too costly. Here ma N the
cultivation of heavier.cropping forage
plants, both for summer feed on the
existing system and for winter feed in
the form of siiage. In September
Prof. James Long shallow-plowed an
oat stubble and sowed a mixture OF
sixteen pounds per acre Of giant trifo-
lium and twenty pounds OF rye grass.
AT the present moment the plant,
though sown at such an unusual time
Of year, is % fine "a if il had been sown
last spring. 1t will be cut when ready
and a second cut taken from the rye
grass in autumn, when the stubble will
be sown with O. mixture OF the strong