Common flax (also known as linseed)
is a member of the Linaceae family which includes
about 150 plant species widely distributed around the world.
Some of them are grown in domestic flower beds, as flax
is one of the few true blue flowers. (Most "blue"
flowers are really a shade of purple.)Under the
former Cronquist system of classifying the flowering plants, flax and
related plants were placed in an order Linales. Modern classifications place
them in the order Malpighiales.
L. usitatissimum is grown both for seed and for fiber.
The seeds produce linseed oil which is one of the oldest commercial oils and
which has been used for centuries as a drying oil in painting and varnishing.
The use of flax seed and flax seed oil (high in omega-3 linolenic acid) as a
nutritional supplement is increasing.
Flax
fibers are amongst the oldest fiber crops in
the world and the use of flax for the production of linen
goes back 5000 years. Pictures on tombs and temple walls
at
Thebes depict flowering flax plants. The use of flax
fiber in the manufacturing of
cloth in Northern Europe
dates back to pre-Roman times. In the USA flax was introduced
by the
Pilgrim fathers. Currently all flax produced in the
USA and Canada are seed flax types for the production of
linseed oil or flaxseeds for human nutrition.
Flax fiber is soft, lustrous and flexible. It is stronger
than cotton fiber but less elastic. The best grades are
used for
linen fabrics such as
damasks,
lace and sheeting. Coarser
grades are used for the manufacturing of twine and rope.
Flax fiber is also a raw material for the high quality paper
industry for the use of printed currency notes and cigarette
paper.
The major fiber flax producing countries are the former
USSR,
Poland,
France,
Belgium and the
Czech Republic.
Cultivating flax
From the 1881 Household Cyclopedia
The soils most suitable for flax, besides
the alluvial kind, are deep friable loams,
and such as contain a large proportion of
vegetable matter in their composition. Strong
clays do not answer well, nor soils of a
gravelly or dry sandy nature. But whatever
be the kind of soil, it ought neither to
be in too poor nor too rich a condition,
because in the latter case the flax is apt
to grow too luxuriant and produce a coarse
sort, and in the former case, the plant,
from growing weakly, affords only a small
produce.
When grass land is intended
for flax, it ought to be
broken up as early in the
season as possible, so that
the soil may be duly mellowed
by the winter frosts, and
in good order for being
reduced by the harrows,
when the seed process is
attempted. If flax is to
succeed a corn crop, the
like care is required to
procure the aid of frost,
without which the surface
cannot be rendered fine
enough for receiving the
seed. Less frost, however,
will do in the last than
in the first case, therefore
the grass land ought always
to be earliest ploughed.
At seed time, harrow the
land well before the seed
is distributed, then cover
the seed to a sufficient
depth by giving a close
double time of the harrows.
Water furrow the land, and
remove any stones and roots
that may remain on the surface,
which finishes the seed
process.When a crop of
seed is intended to be taken,
thin sowing is preferable,
in order that the plants
may have room to fork or
spread out their leaves
and to obtain air for the
blossoming and filling seasons.
But it is a mistake to sow
thin when flax is intended
to be taken, for the crop
then becomes coarse, and
often unproductive. From
eight to ten pecks per acre
[125 to 160 kg/ha] is a
proper quantity in the last
case; but when seed is the
object, six pecks [95 kg/ha]
will do very well.
Flax
should be
pulled when
the lower
part of
the plant
begins to
turn yellow,
and when,
on opening
the pods,
the most
forward
of the seeds
are found
in a soft
state, and
the middle
of the seeds
is green;
while the
seed is
quite soft,
the flax
should be
spread on
the ground
in bundles
of about
as much
as a woman
can grasp
with both
hands, and
it should
remain so
till the
upper part
is dry;
in fine
weather
it will
be dry in
twenty-four
or forty-eight
hours; the
bundles
should be
then made
up, with
the dry
part inside,
and set
up in stocks
of ten bundles
each, to
stand on
the ground
till the
whole is
dry, pods
and all;
the seed
will then
be ripe
and the
flax in
the best
state, and
may be stacked,
housed or
worked;
great care
should be
taken to
keep the
root ends
even.
When
flax is
pulled it
ought to
be immediately
put into
the water,
so that
it may part
with the
rind and
be fit for
the manufacturer.
Standing
pools, for
many reasons,
are most
proper for
the purpose,
occasioning
the flax
to have
a better
color, to
be sooner
ready for
the grass,
and even
to be of
superior
quality
in every
respect.
When put
into the
water it
is tied
up in beets,
or small
sheaves,
the smaller
the better,
because
it is then
most equally
watered.
These sheaves
ought to
he built
in the pool,
in a reclining
upright
posture,
so that
the weight
placed above
may keep
the whole
firmly down.
In warm
weather,
ten days
of the watering
process
are sufficient;
but it is
proper to
examine
the pools
regularly
after the
seventh
day, lest
the flax
should putrefy
or rot,
which sometimes
happens
in very
warm weather.
Twelve days
will answer
in any sort
of weather;
though it
may be remarked,
that it
is better
to give
rather too
little of
the water
than too
much, as
any deficiency
may be easily
made up
by suffering
it to lie
longer on
the grass,
whereas
an excess
of water
admits of
no remedy.
After lying
on the grass
for a due
time, till
any defect
of the watering
process
is rectified,
the flax
is taken
up, tied
when dry
in large
sheaves,
and carried
to the mill
to be switched
and prepared
for the
hackle.
Dressing
flax
The process
is divided
into two
parts: the
first part
is intended
for the
farmer,
or flax-grower,
to bring
the flax
into a fit
state for
general
or common
purposes.
This is
performed
by three
machines:
one for
threshing
out the
seed, one
for breaking
and separating
the wood
from the
fiber, and
one for
further
separating
the broken
wood and
matter from
the fiber.
In some
cases the
farmers
will perhaps
thrash out
the seed
in their
own mill
and therefore,
in such
cases, the
first machine
will be,
of course,
unnecessary.
The second
part of
the process
is intended
for the
manufacturer
to bring
the flax
into a state
for the
very finest
purposes,
such as
lace, cambric,
damask,
and very
fine linen.
This second
part is
performed
by the refining
machine
only.
Take
the flax
in small
bundles,
as it comes
from the
field or
stack, and
holding
it in the
left hand,
put the
seed end
between
the
threshing
machine
and the
bed or block
against
which the
machine
is to strike;
then take
the handle
of the machine
in the right
hand, and
move the
machine
backward
and forward,
to strike
on the flax,
until the
seed is
all threshed
out.
Take
the flax
in small
handfuls
in the left
hand, spread
it flat
between
the third
and little
finger,
with the
seed end
downwards,
and the
root-end
above, as
near the
hand as
possible;
then put
it between
the beater
of the breaking
machine,
and beat
it gently
till the
three or
four inches,
which have
been under
the operation
of the machine,
appear to
be soft;
then remove
the flax
a little
higher in
the hand,
so as to
let the
soft part
of the flax
rest upon
the little
finger,
and continue
to beat
it till
all is soft,
and the
wood is
separated
from the
fiber, keeping
the left
hand close
to the block
and the
flax as
flat upon
the block
as possible.
The other
end of the
flax is
then to
be turned,
and the
end which
has been
beaten is
to be wrapped
round the
little finger,
the root
end flat,
and beaten
in the machine
till the
wood is
separated,
exactly
in the same
way as the
other end
was beaten.
Linen Defintion
Textiles
fabric
|
