Gh—No. 4.

46

APPENDIX TO REPORT OE

16-70. Passed through the stripping machine, steeped, sweated, and scutched; one hank, length 7 feet; very bright and soft; white, with a gray tint; glossy; fibres downy. Average strength, 88. 17-70. Prepared from dried flax straw (chemically) in London in 1869, and valued by Messrs. Noble at £35 per ton; small sample cut to a short length ; soft, dull, even in quality ; dark green, gray. Microscopic—Fibres free, but arranged in non-adherent bundles ; tubular structure of the minute fibres preserved ;no connective tissue. Average strength, 79. 21-70. One hank; length 5 feet; colour, reddish yellow, bright but harsh ; young flax. Microscopic—Fibres adherent, drawing out slightly, but at last breaking short; band of connective tissue adherent. Average strength, 72. 22-70. One hank; length, 9 feet; colour, reddish, bright, but harsh; breaks short. Average strength, 70. 23-70. One hank; length, 4 feet; colour, yellowish white; bright and soft, but great difference in the fibre from the butt and that from the tip, which is like tow; breaks short. Microscopic—Fibres adherent, breaking short in bundles of five or six fibres; cross-barred by tissue. Average strength, 68. 24-70. One small hank, unscutched ; length, 9 feet; colour, reddish yellow ; fibres unequal in size, bright, but harsh; breaks short, without down. Microscopic—Fibres adherent; snaps in bundles, with cross-bands of connective tissue. Average strength, 67. 25-70. Half-hank ; length, 6 feet; colour, reddish ; soft and bright, but unequal; breaks short, without down. Average strength, 03. 26-70. Small hank; length, 4 feet; colour, red; harsh, and unequal; not well scutched ; larger fibres divide freely. Microscopic —Fibres adherent; breaking short in large bundles. Average strength, 58. 27-70. Half-hank; length, 6 feet; colour, yellowish white; bright, but slightly harsh ; breaks short. Average strength, 54. 28-70. Half-hank; length, 5 feet; colour, pale reddish yellow; fibres coarse, downy, but do not divide freely. Microscopic —Fibres adherent, and break short in bundles, but they pay out along the sides ; much connective tissue. Average strength, 54. 29-70. One hank ; length, 6 feet; colour, reddish yellow; harsh, unscutched, breaks short. Microscopic—Adherent in granular bundles, which break short in unequal lengths. Average strength, 51. 31-70. Fourteen hanks; length, 6 feet; colour, reddish yellow; bright, but stiff; quality, unequal in the length ; breaks short. Average strength, 88. 32-70. Small sample, in short length ; white, transparent, and flexible, in hair-like fibres, which fluff in breaking. Average strength, 77. 33-70. Small sample; length, 6 feet; colour, reddish white ; bright, and soft tips ; breaks short, but splits. Average strength, 77. 34-70. Small hank; length, 6 feet; colour, white, with red stains; bright, but harsh and stiff; breaks short. Average strength, 76. 35-70. Half-hank ; unscutched (?) ; length, 5 feet; colour, reddish ; harsh, breaks short. Microscopic—Fibres adherent in granular bundles, which break short across. Average strength, 76. 36-70. Half-hank; length, 6 feet; colour, reddish yellow; bright, but harsh; breaks short. Microscopic—Fibres adherent in bundles, which snap across ; much adherent tissue. Average strength, 75. 37-70. Small sample; short lengths ; colour, greenish yellow ; soft, but coarse, and unequal in the length. Average strength, 73. 3S-70. Fifty pounds weight; length, 5 feet; colour, reddish yellow; light and equal, but great difference between the fibre of tips and butts ; breaks short in slender fibres, but no down. Microscopic—Fibres adherent in small granular bundles, but snap across. Average strength, 72. 39-70. Small hank; length, 6 feet; colour, reddish yellow; bright, harsh, breaks short without down. Microscopic—Fibres adherent in small bundles, which are coated with granular tissue. Average strength, 63. 40-70. One hank ; length, 6 feet; colour, reddish yellow at butt, greenish yellow at tips; very bright, and soft; breaks short. Microscopic—Fibres adherent; breaks into short lengths, with bands of connective tissue. Average strength, 63. 41-70. Unscutched —one hank ; length, 6 feet; colour, red ; very harsh ; brittle, but strong on a straight pull. Average strength, 82. 42-70. One hank, length 4 feet; colour, pale yellow; bright and soft; divides freely in .breaking. Microscopic—Fibres free, but breaks into short lengths. (Toung flax steeped ?) Average strength, 71.