The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1892-01-09
SATURDAY. JANuAI,Y .. 1899.



The Flax Industry.
1t is sGid that company backed
with $4,000, 600 capital, has been organ
Hcp in Chicago for the manufacture
OF American tax. Speaking of the EN-
terprlse the attorney of the Company
G. Coske, says at present nearly all
the flax used in this country is import
ed, but his company had experiment.
ed to its own satisfaction that it can
manufacture the American Article
much cheaper than il can be imported,
and at the same time furnish as good
an article as that made in foreign
countries. Just why so much banking
capital has to be raised to carry on the
cultivation of flax, something which
everybody can raise we cannot UNDER
stand, possibly it may he for It's manu-
facture into linens after 1t is raised, is
intended.
No doubt, however, we shall soon
hear the free-trade howl, you can't
raise fax In this country" There are
many persons Of elderly age who will
reeollect the era OF flax raising in many
sections OF this country, and we can
not yet understand Why it has grown
into disuse, unless II be that cheap cot
tons became too strong competition
and Bmothered 1t out. We well recoi-
Dot when no farmer in Southern York
ycounty, Pa. wdGld consider his Spring
planting over until in one corner OF an
oats field he had sown flax patch to
raise flax for his own family use. 1t
required no extended manufactures
nor millions Of capital then to raise
flax and manufacture haNen goods.
Every family was its own manufac-
tory and the women of the house with
their spinning wheel, reel aud loom
in the cellar or garnet were the opera
tors. The flax raising era afforded
many pleasantoccasIons for the young
people. Nothing looked pfcttier than
flax patch in full bloom. The stalks
grew from eighteen inches to two feet
high and when in blossom rivalled the
sky with its sea OF blue. Soon after
came the pulling season for flax in.
stead Of being cut Off like grain, lie
pulled out by the roots. Fax pullings
afforded occasions for gatherings OF
young people, who pulled it, tod it
In small sheaves, and shocked It, After
that came the evening supper and the
play in the moonlight upon the greer
meadow sward.
After this came the seed beating
when the little sheaves waro denudet
OF their seed pods on the huge barr
floor. The seed was winnowed ant
from 1t expressed the popular llnsecd
oil for painting,and cakes were grounC
into meal for stock. The flax sheave:
were taken and spread tninly on this
meadow sward where the dcws aud
rain rotted the stalk without impair
ing the fibre. When sufficiently rot
ted, it was raked up into bundles anG
put away under cover for Water oper
ations when all the other fall wort
was DONE Next it was smoked over
wood fire, and broken up by fla,
breaks, after which the scotching ant
Aekiug came which was PflreipaIl,
70 work oil female. The hanks Z
scotched fax were then rtcled On TIL
distaff aud from that they wont int
+, the old time spinning wheel, tho oper
ator singing the tune OF odd Hun
drede in harmony with tile running Q
the wheel.
Then came tho reelings into wells
the weaving and the bleaching, follow
ed by the iilcn good. from the coais
tow shirt and crash towel to tue fines
linen fabrics. The whole labor was o
such a character rs 10 consume uncm
ployed time. II flax raising was reylt
ed II would afford labor TO thousand
of females who either spehG tier tim
idly or seek mental employmeHts i
the already crowded marts Of iaboi
At any rate We nro pleaaed to see Il.
revival u 'ht ilaA industry and hop
the Chicago movement will succeed +
spite oGthe opposition Of the frs
traders