{"newspaper_name": "Portland gazette and Maine advertiser.", "edition": "01", "page": "p1", "byline": ""}
{"character_count": 2916, "word_count": 545, "ccnet_language_score": [0.9314000010490417], "ccnet_perplexity": [1961.0], "fasttext_language": ["en"]}
FLAX being the principal article Of
Domeaic Manufacture, (wooI excepted in
themiddle and northern itates, perhaps
hiDt may he acceptable.


Abour ra years paif, purchafcd a Ger
man iervant man, who by his account came
from the neighborhood Of Rulia. T
ioon after fet him and others to fpread nv
Flax, the Lot not containing the whole, he
requeited me 70 lct him rot the remainder
his own way, which he faid was TO half rot
i in the water and .hen on the ground.
which he did, and the fax 70 rotted, prov.
ed the bef, foftef, and whiteR, had ev-
cr ieen, and the method pieafed nv wife
and fninners 70 well, have praGtifed ever
hnce, with iome alterations as TO time.


The ProceiSwe find TO anfwer beft, IS, af-
ter the feed IS beaten of, bind il abour the
hze Of common rye iheaves, and about the
Taft Of September, or Art Of October, in
merce i in water, fagnared IS preferable 70
running, it hould not Be more than three
feet from the furface, and the FAX kest en-
tirely under the water about two weeks. but
tae time thould be regulated BY the weath-
eT, as 60 heat or cold, we then take il out
and ipread it thin and even,, and turn II as
often as occaion may reSuire, after being
iPread, every rain, 70. f, dew, or froit, afifs
IN teparating the herl, whitening and fof-
tenlng the flax, and extracting the gum,
which is the only caule Of fax Being coarte
and harfh, and i IS an eaablilhed fact With
thofe that have uyed that either thread or
or cloth, made from fax prepared il the
above manner, Is fofter, and viii whiten II
one third OF the Tune that is reduiGte for
that irom fax rotted in the comnonnanner


| believe the principal reafon, that watey
rotting flax, Is 70 little Pratficed IA North
America, is that thoie who have tded il,
find the hax hard and brittle, the caufe 81
which, Il imagine1 IS putting it in water in
hot weather, when two cr three DAYS will
rot iufiicient for dreiing but will not ex,raa
The gum.


hPerion ofmg acquaintance from Hi5cr-
MA, (who is well acquainted with the prc-
cets of fax preparation, informs me, that
ithas been the common pra6tice in Ireland
about % or 90 years ago, 70 letHax remain
in the water until fufhcieltIY rotied, but
the people in general finding it did not an
fwer their ianguine expiration, have hnc=
a2oPrcd rhe above method with flccefs.


Linen made Of fax prepared as above d.
recfed, with one boil, will be abour the CO.
Tor Of Rulia lheeting, which induces me to
believe that all the hemp and fax III RuiIia,
is rotted in the fame way.-And as | am
greatly deirous for the Improvement Of the
manufacture Of this country, with my fell
low ctizens TO make trial, which may Be
fafely done by trying fmalI pari..-.-.-


1t you think the foregoing worth place
III your paper, K. will be well to publih !.
f9on, as the lealon proper for the operation
is near ct hand. l remain your friend,


.. tesEPH COOPER.


.ys,ra 3, E-gsr, frF.


..n .r -Ea