The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1911-12-26

characteristic of linen fabrics
The treatment to which the flax fibre
is subjected is very interesting and
was laborious until Improvements sim
liar to those of cotton manufacture
were applied to linen looms. Ireland
is celebrated for the general diffusion
of the manufacture, thus our noted
Irish linens. This industry attained its
greatest prosperity in Ireland where
the manufacture is more extensively
carried op than in any other country,
owing, as is essential, to its climate
being best adapted to the successful
bleaching, process much more diff
cult and tedious than for cotton. 1t is
conducted very much in the open air,
and dependent in great measure upon
the conditions of the atmosphere. The
linen in its natural color, which is gray,
or brownish, either in the spun threads
or woven cloth, is sent to the bleach
greens, large grassy plots kept for the
purpose, where it is boiled in a I've of
soda ash then spread to dry for two or
three days upon the grass in the srn-
shine. This process is repeated until
nearly white, when the bits of straw,
which cannot be perfectly extracted in
the scutching and cleaning, show more
plainly. These must be removed by
soaking in bath of water containing
an alkaline chloride. After this the
linen is thoroughly rubbed and washed
by machinery, with the use of plenty of
soap. Then there are several opera
lions of stretching and handling and
exposing to currents of air until the
beautiful finish or lustre of our hand
kerchief linen is obtained The whole
time required for bleaching is from
four to seven weeks, according to the
season, and the weight of the fabric
The whole process of preparing the
fibre for weaving is from 10 to 10
weeks. The extreme w1iteness thus
given to some linens is apt to be at the
expense of its strength, the material
being partly worn out in the operation.
This is largely, still the Irish process
of dealing with linen fibers for cloth
and thus the high prices held for linen
fabrics.
The manufacture was introduced in
to the United States by the establish
ment of large mill at Fall River,
in 1884 which has since
continued in operation but most of Our
linen still comes from Ireland
Linen manufacture in the United
States, however, has taken on a great
revolution by what is called the Nudge
invention by which the raw flax, as it
comes from the field is convertible into
a beautiful perfectly bleached linen
fibre ready for spinning, in the space
Of twelve hours, which heretofore, by
the old process, took s to 10 weeks. 1t
is a mechanical and chemical process
which transforms the flax straw into
linen fibre in the short time of II
hours.
They have built large industry at
North Broollfeld, Massachusetts,, and
are demonstrating a most superior
quality of fine linen fabrics. Besides
he waste products are turned to profit,
securing the full value of the flax
They save the seed, stalk, root, and
branch of the plant. This will increase
he linen market by millions of dollars
IS it reduces the heretofore high prices
IF the fabric
The manufacture of linen threads is
mother part of the linen industry.
Thus may we not say, "Our dearly
beloved damaskW What housekeeper
loes not value and even love her da-
mask table cloths, napkins and towels?
Of their nature and manu-
acture and true value will help us
he more to give them the right care
nd treatment.
The large significance of the word
damask" is fabric originally manu-
actured at Damascus, the ancient cap
al of Syria and justly accounted one
f the oldest cities in the world,
thence its name The original damask
7as made of silk, but the modern da-
TASK is mostly Of linen while cotton
nd wool are sometimes thus woven.
)amask is feature of a peculiar man
er of weaving The linen damask
as become a great success, hence
reat favorite as one of our richer
lbrics. Its peculiar texture is what is
allied twilling in which the warp and
oof threads cross each other, not al
rnately as in ordinary weaving, but
intervals of several threads, this
wing the various figures of flowers.