Daily capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1896-1899, 1897-08-24
FLAX.
The Crop Is Being Harvested
The Very Finest Fibre Can Be
Grown in Oregon.
LAX.

1t has been conclusively demon
strated that fax can be successfully
raised in Oregon. While this indus
try is still In its primitive state, yet
within few years it will figure as
one of the principal industries in the
Northwest. The crop this year is
purely an experiment in most in
stances, but the experiment having
proven a profitable one, flax will be
grown on a more extensive scale in
the future in this state, and especially
in the Willamette valley.
Monday afternoon JOURNAL re
porter called at the old mill just north
of the large brick mills on North
Front street, where he found w. e.
Mitchell busy receipting for loads of
flax and experimenting the prepara-
tion Of the same for the scutching
mills. Mr.. Mitchell superintends all
the preparatory work, while j. S. Cur
rie a flax expert of Michigan, and re-
Gently from Ireland, has been engaged
to superintend the final processes of
manufacture, which will begin as
soon as the machinery can be placed
in operation.
Mr.. Mitchell reports 125 acres of
flax raised in Marion county alone
this year. A large quantity was also
raised in Clackamas county and in
the southern part of the state, so the
output from this state for the tirst
year will indeed be quite large. From
the fact that the entire crop had not
yet been harvested Mr.. Mitchell was
unable to estimate with reasonable
accuracy, the yied in this state. The
returns thus far indicate an aver
age yield of to q tons per acre. The
flax thus far received has been quite
uniform in length, from SO to 40
inches and averaging possibly SO
inches. The crop was not planted
until the latter part Of May this year
or there is no question but the stalks
would have attained height Of from
to feet. The seed should be
planted early in April, the ground for
which should be prepared in the fall.
Returns have not yet been received
/ from the Chemawa Indian school, the
the Lake Labish country nor from the
asylum where several acres we're de-
voted to raising flax.
Owing to a lack OF facilities at the
brick mills, the management has
found it necessary to prepare the
greater part of the product for the
scutching mill Just east of the state
penitentiary.
The process of harvesting the flax
crop and converting the same into
garments is an interesting one, When
the leaves begin to fall from the
stalk and the stalk begins to turn
yellow, it is time to pull the crop. 1t
is allowed to lay upon the ground for
about twenty four hours when it is
formed into small sheaves and shocked
in the same manner as wheat. The
fax is then gathered and placed in
retting pond where, by a process of
| fermentation, the fibre is loosened
from the straw. 1t is necessary for
| the flax to remain in the retting pond
| from five. to8 days, depending alto
| gether on the temperature Of the wa
ter. The bundles are then removed
from the pond and are unbound and
the stalks are scattered about on the
ground where they remain until
thoroughly we'll dried. The fax is
then refunded and stored ready for
the scutching mill.
The machinery for the scutching
mill is now in Portland and is daily
expected to arrive in Salem when the
work of further preparing the fax for
manufacturing purposes will be con-
tinued.
The stalks are first put through the
"breaks," a succession of various sized
rollers, by which the fiber is thor
oughly separated from the straw. The
fibre is then ready for the scutching
mill. The promoters of this industry
III billo opdOC w hOO ONPOSO w w
able to have scutching mill placed
in operation this year. The fiber will
this year be shipped to spinning mills
in ireland, and New York, for which
large orders have already been re-
ceived. Next year it is quite likely
that spinning mill will be placed in
operation at Salem and all kinds of
fine linen, crashes, twines, etc. will be
manufactured. A machine will be
received from California also by which
all waste and refuse will be utilized.
The same will be converted into sur
geon's lint or absorbing cotton so
widely used by surgeons, in surgical
operations.
While the fax industry in Oregon
,c Of an in ffc ,nrinofffVa cfata vat in