New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-09-22
NEW LIFE IN FLAX GRO WING.
REvIvING DEMAND FOR THE STRAW AND
SEED
THE MANUFACTURE OF FIBRELIA INCREASING
How THE FLAX CROP is GROWN
AND GATHERED.

1t is several years since IT was fully demon
strated in this country that the textile fibre known
ibrelia could be manufactured successfully from
fax straw. and although the predictions that II
would be generally used substitute for cotton
may not have been entirely fulfilled, It is used TO
considerable extent with goods made OF wool and
cotton. The attention called to the new fibre gave
an incentive TO hax-growing, however, which has
resulted in much larger acreage OF this crop
than ever before. Many farms that were abandoned
in New-England, or In former days raised fax for
spinning. planted with this CROP and the gen
eral output last year enormous. The real ak
tent TO which ibrelia is used In the manufacture
Of goods be gathered partly from the fact
that in 1890 100000 acres OF fax straw were
burned in the fields after the seed had been gath
cred while to-day little II any, such straw Is thus
DESTROYED.
Flax-growing is now reviving, but II is not by any
means industry In this country. as some
may suppose 1t is really one OF the oldest crops
and in New England II formed the staple article OF
clothing for quarter OF century or more The
old spinning wheels. faxbrakes and hatchels have
all been relegated to the attic. but new machinery
promises to bring the old product Into general use
again. Flax growing was formerly abandoned In
New-England when the cotton crop in the South
became large that cotton goods were sold to the
farmers much cheaper than they could mako them
out OF fax. The crop exhaust.ng to the soil.
and the growers discovered that II was econo-
my TO raise corn and other products, and buy the
Carolina cotton goods or European linen.
For a considerable period after the Introduction
OF cotton goods fax fell into general neglect as
farm product and the old fax ponds or fax brooks
where the farmers rotted the straw OF the parish
were abandoned Then came another period when
the demand for faxseed oil and linseed meal made
from faxseed) made 1t profitable for farmers TO
raise fax again on their farms. But the Industry
never received much notice In Nav England. where
the price OF virgin soil was high. but In the West
ern States large acreages were devoted TO the crop.
There rich. virgin soil could be had for small
sum- and one crop was considered good as an
other so far as exhausting the land was concerned
Fax-growing has consequently been carried on ever
since In the West upon newly broken sod. 1t has
been raised for its seed. or for long-staple fibre
For the object It has 10 be pulled before the
seeds are ripe, and double proht cannot be re-
allied from II in consequence. But when raised for
fDr ella the FAX is allowed ripen its seed so that
the straw and seed 10th bring n a falr proht 10
In the West the aaxseed Is sown broadcast
for the fibre at the rate OF two bushels to the acre
to keep down the weeds until the leaves shade the
ground The plants allowed to ripen their seeds
bundles bun s for drying The seed are ihrashsd out
good deal as an ordinary farmeg would ihbasn ms
chine thrasher. the latter being the more desirable
as II does not nure the stray so mscn noe sun IN
early New England days. The bundles are taken
The ' butts downward After standing there for I'VE
ten days tho core Will come out OF me n1re
GENTLY the bundles are taken cut with d pichfork
and stood UP to drain and dry. , r,
The next process is that called "grassing Inc
stalks spread out upon the grass ana turned
once or twice day for a week This improves
the color OF the fibre. The breaking process
which follows Is done by a set OF huted rollers
the fine and coarse hbres; New ana improved ma
chinery has invented FOR all OF these processes
and some factories take the max direct from the
farmers before the rotting and bleaching processes
have taken place. good crop OF fax VIII produce
coo pounds OF fibre TO the acre Soid IN the open
market this means about $40 per acre
Rut flax is cxhaustng 10 the soil and after
I, has grown twS three years on one field,
nerod OF from five 10 eight years should elapse be-
fore another crop Is planted. The soil has to be
heavily MANFRED. from four 20 SIX hundred pounds
az mineral fertilizers being required each year 10
he acre besides barnyard and other NATURES.
potash and phosphoric acid are the chief ingredi-
Fibrella though recently introduced In this coun-
nv as a farm product. y not new. As far back
as 1851 published accounts OF It's manufacture
we're given in England. and over 40 years ago
nToy,s we're made 10 prepare fax TO resemble cot
ION FxDerlments have been conducted ever since
in an Irregular way. The success OF the attempts
first got a practical turn when the npre was re-
duced TO r short staple that could be worked on
the modern machinery prepared either for cotton
or wool II thus forms fibre that can be woven
into either OF the great staple fibre products OF this
by using Is per cent OF wool ana - per cent OF
0brella Ii gives better gloss ana more AURA
hty TO the cloth than II wool alone Is used AZ
ono time II was supposed that ibrella would
greatly endanger the value OF the cotton crop. as
II had a higher specific gravity thah cotton, anu
was much stronger. But Its chief use Is to mix with
cotton and wool. and not 10 De useo aohe; IN
stead OF injuring the cotton product IL ehdS 10 IN
crease the variety OF uses TO which this article is
nut When mixed with cotton. II gives weight and
strength the cloth that goes iar aheaa OF COTTON
better and cotton -fbrelia goods are now made in
the most brilliant hues