The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1913-03-20
FEW FACTS OF LINEN
OF Late Years Weave Has Been
Largely Replaced by Cotton.
Snowy Whitensss, Obtained With
Some Difficulty In Bleaching, 10
Quite Permanent-hovs Article
May 30 Distinguishes.

ny c. M. GIBBS. University OF Illinois)
N Linen was formerly the most impor.
important vegetable fiber. and was
commonly used for all household pur-
psses OF late Avs 1t has been
largely, replaced VIII cotton. with
which 1t may be compared, although
there are still uses for which we de-
mand linen, and others for which We
prefer linen to cotton.
The linen ilber is long, smooth and
quite lustrous, when spun into .
thread. It IL very strong and there
are not 90 many fuzzy ends as are
found in cotton. Cloth made from
It IL not only lustrous and rich look.
ing, but because of Its smoothness
stays clean longer than cotton. The
snowy Wilderness Of linen, obtained
with some difficulty In bleaching, Is
quite permanent, and since the aber
takes dyes with difficulty. and parts
with them quite readily. It also does
net retain stains as persistently as
cotton does.
Linen is much more expensive than
cotton, and when linen prices are paid
linen should be demanded. Since
the two fbers are rather hard to dis
tinguish especially when heavily
starched and given a good finish, it
Is quite easy to deceive the buyer.
Linen" collars are frequently large
ly cotton, linen handkerchiefs may
not have thread of linen, as is apt
to be the case with rather inexpen-
sive embroidered handkerchiefs, and
table "linen" may be mercerized cot.
ton, cotton and linen, or even ordi.
nary cotton.
To distinguish linen from cotton, ex.
anime the threads carefully: cotton is
made up Of short fibers which project
from the surface Of the thread, and
become fuzzy when the thread is rub
bed between the fingers; when broken.
cotton has tuffted end, while linen
fibers break more unevenly and leave
. more pointed end. The linen thread
should be stronger than the cotton;
1t has more luster. and is usually more
uneven. Some kinds Of linen have
nat threads. but cotton 10 frequently
finished in imitation Of dat thread
linen.
The old test Of moistening the
finger and putting 1t under the cloth
10 not always sure one, % the moist
ure will not come through q heavy lin
en-, or one with much starch in It, and
1t will come through q sheer, tightly
twisted cotton. A better test is to
put drop Of olive oil on the cloth
and press between blotting papers.
The linen becomes more transparent
than the cotton.
There is peculiarly eathery feel
about good table linen, which cotton
will not give. and the luster IL differ
ent. although the difference Is hard
to describe.
The typical weaves used for linen
are 40 follows: The damask, satin or
sateen weave used for table linen and
towels is especially good for the for.
mer because Of the very smooth lus-
trous surface It affords, but not 50
good for towels 40 It does not ID.
sorb moisture very readily. although
It 10 very attractive. Huck, an nm
even weave. giving good surface for
the absorption Of water, makes splen-
did towels. and decorated with de-
signs in damask weave may be very
handsome. Many linens In plain
weaves are available for clothing. en-
broidery, etc. while the coarse Rus
sian crashes are becoming quite pop
ular for decorative purposes.
Tho texture Of linen 10 such that the
heavier kinds hang we'll in folds, lie
nat on table. and are very artis-
tic for many purposes.