Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-03-01

tempt it unless there is some one to
superintend the work who does under
stand it. This statement holds for all
three retting methods, yet it applies
especially to water retting and chemi-
cal retting.
"Dew retting is the method employed
in many of the flax-growing pro ovinecs
of Russia, and mas been used in this
country to greater extent than the
other methods. 1t consists of spread
ing the thrcshed straw in straight rows
on field, preferably a meadow, and
allowing the action of rain. dew or snow
to remove the gummy materials which
cause the fibre to adhere to the woody
portion of the stalks. This takes place
in from two or eight weeks, depending
upon the climatic conditions. The straw
is sometimes turned once during the
retting process.
Water Is Used.
'The best flax fiber is obtained from
the Coutrai region Of Belgium, where
flax is water retted in the River Lys.
Flax is also water retted in Ireland and
in certain provinces of Russia, but in
these countries the retting is done in
pools or reservoirs.
"Tho practice in Belgium and in some
portions of Ireland is to watch con
stantly during the latter part of the
retting period in order to remove the
straw from the water at the time when
the retting process has progressed suf-
ficientlv, even though this be during
the night" "
So far, flax has been grown to any
large extent in the United States only
for its seed In 1915 there were ,367,.
600 acres in this country planted to
flax. The yield was 13,S45,000 bushels
of seed, which had farm value of $24,.
OS0,000.
Flax Expert Arrives.
Frank C. Miles, flax expert with the
United States department of agriculture
arrived in Portland last night from
Washington and today left for Eugene
to attend the flax meeting to be held
there tomorrow. Mr.. Miles came to Ore
gon at the solicitation of the Chamber
of Commerce flax committee purpOsely
to attend the flax meetings to be held
at Eugene and Newberg and to advise
with the local people interested in es
tablishing the flax industry here.
The plan that has been formulated
by the school of commerce, University
of Oregon and Chamber of Commerce
flax committee for giving the industry
a definite start this year was highly
praised by Mr.. Miles this morning.
Eugene Is Active.
This plan is to cooperate with t1C
community which will take hold of The
enterprise most enthusiastically by fur
nishing a flax expert to advise the
farmers from tine time the ground il
prepared for planting until the crop i,
disposed of and also to furnish the ma
chinery to prepare the flax fiber anC
seed for market This expert will b,
| Eugene Bosse, Of Salem, w1o has tn,
machinery now on hand. And the acre
age to be nlanted will be held down t
not more than 300 acres.
H. B. Miller, head of the school o.
| commerce, said indiscrminate plant
I ing of flax will be discouraged, as i
would be detrimental to tine success O.
the industry. BY taking a compare
lively small acreage with an expert t,
oversee it, he said, success will b,
practically assured and then next yea
other communities may organize and oh
tain their own machinery, which i
comparatively cheap.
Mr.. Miles was here last fall and look
ed over the flax grown at Salem, He ex
presses opinion similar to all others VIII,
have investigated that the Willamette
valley is ideal from the standpoint o
soil and climate for flax culture. Th
valley also has abundance of soft waite
needed for retting the flax.
While here he will arrange for an ex
pertinent to be made at the 0. A.
this year to determine the best kind O
flax seed for use in this valley
Onions Going Fast.
i Portland, Or, Mar. with onl
about 100 carloads of onions remainini