Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 36, Number 102, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 August 1904 — The Flax Plant. [ARTICLE]

The Flax Plant.

Linen is obtained fftm the flax plant a small, delicate annual with a tiny blue flower. The plant is pulled by hand in the summer, tf, e known in commerce as imseeu, being removed and the straw subjected to various processes to separa*; fibfO’uS part " U _l tie Unetj. first it is 8te&Be& in water and then passed through a drying and heating process on revolving wheels until all foreign matter is removed: It is then ready for manufacture; Flax has been used from remote ages as a textile fabric, especially in Egypt Mummy cloths are often foupi tq be of exceedingly fine texture. The chief linen producing countries of the present day are Ireland, France, Belgium and Germany. The flax fiber Is round and irregular, is very durable and Is capable of extensive bleaching. Plain linen has a simple weave, with the weft threads alternately interspersing the warp ones. When woven with a pattern It is usually called damask. As a clothing material linen should not be worn next the skin because It Is a very good conductor of beat. Jute and hemp are from plants which are used In manufacturing only very rough materials. In form they resemble very coarse, inferior flax. —American Queep.