Page:Illustrations of Indian Botany, Vol. 1.djvu/311

ILLUSTRATIONS OF INDIAN BOTANY.

155 of the produce is immense, being nearly two thirds, one ton of flax being produced from four tons of stem. The expense of working each ton obtained by this method is only five pounds. The glutinous matter may be removed by soap and water only, which will bring the flax to such perfect whiteness, that no further bleaching is necessary, even after the linen is woven, and the whole process of preparing flax may be completed in six days."

This extract I introduce not in the hope that the plan can be rendered applicable to this portion of India, for the dressing of flax, though I think it may be to a very large extent in the upper provinces of Bengal where so much flax is cultivated for its seed only, but, under the impression that if the method here mentioned was adopted for the preparation of the flax- like fibres of the very numerous plants, natives of this part of India, producing them, they might be the means of furnishing us, from among them, with some very valuable articles for the fabrication of cordage and cloth in imitation of linen, or the Chinese grass cloth. The method of separating the fibres by steeping the plant for several days in water certainly impairs their strength and durability, an effect which the application of a weak alkaline solution does not, it would appear, produce, while it, through a chemical action, effectually removes the vege- table extractive and other matters with which they are combined in the plant, and so rapidly, as not to allow time for the partial decomposition of the fibres which results from the protracted immersion required for their separation, when that is accomplished by the simple process of steeping in water.

I shall conclude this too brief notice of an important subject, by another extract from Loudon's Encyclopaedia of Agriculture, detailing a method of preparing flax to resemble Cotton in whiteness and softness, the principle of which may perhaps be found applicable to some one of the flax-like products of India.

"A method of preparing flax in such a manner as to resemble cotton in ivhiteness and softness, as well as in coherence, is given in The Swedish Transactions for the year 1747. For this purpose a little sea water is to be put into an iron pot or an untinned copper kettle — and a mixture of eq-ial parts of birch-ashes and quick lime strewed upon it ; a small bundle of flax is to be opened and spread upon the surface, and covered with more of the mixture, and the stra- tification continued till the vessel is sufficiently filled. The whole is then to bt> boiled with sea-water for ten hours, fresh quantities of water being occasionally supplied in proportion to the evaporation, that the matter may never become dry. The boiled flax is to be immediately washed in the sea by a little at a time, in a basket, with a smooth stick at first, while hot, and when grown cold enough to be borne by the hands, it must be well rubbed, washed with soap, laid to bleach, and turned and watered everyday. Repetitions of the washing with soap expe- dite the bleaching ; after which the flax is to be beat, and again well washed, when dry, it is to be worked and corded in the same manner as common cotton, and pressed betwixt two boards for forty- eight hours, ft is now fully prepared and fit for use. It loses in this process nearly half its weight, which, however, is abundantly compensated by the improvement made in its quality."

It only remains for me to add that the quantity of flax imported into Great Britain is about 1,000,000 cwts. annually, worth about 2^ millions sterling and principally derived from the con- tinent of Europe. At this rate it seems to be a subject deserving the attention of those in Bengal who cultivate the plant for the seed alone, to ascertain whether flax, fit for the English market could also be profitably prepared from it, in place of the whole plant, except the seed, being rejected as useless I certainly think, that this would be found to be the case, as a climate suited to bring the seed to perfection there is reason to believe might prove equally suitable for maturing the fibre, provided it can be removed and dressed uninjured by the operation. This may be doubted if the method of steeping is employed, but, not so if the more scientific plan of dissolving the extractive matter in an alkali and then washing it away is pursued.

Linseed for the production of which, the cultivation of this plant is annually extending in Bengal, affords by compression a valuable drying oil, much used by painters The remaining oil cake, is used for fattening cattle. From the seed a jelly is also prepared by slowly boiling it for about two hours, which is similarly employed by cattle feeders. In medicine the infusion of the bruised seed forms an excellent demulcent, in various complaints requiring medicines of that description, the decoction affords a useful emolient enema in some cases of bowel complaint: while the meal, simply mixed with boiling water forms an excellent poultice of easy preparation. Linum catharticum "is bitter and powerfully, but, as it seems not danger-