water-retting

After rippling, the stalks of flax plants are " retted " to destroy resinous matters which bind the fibre to the wood portions. Retting is a system of putrefaction by steeping the plants in water, or by mechanical and chemical means. The principal methods are: - Steeping in stagnant water for up to 15 days. Dew retting by spreading over fields for 30 to 35 days. Steeping in running water.

Ret, Aerated - A type of ret where compressed air is forced into the bottom of the tank to maintain the retting liquor at or near the neutral point as regards acidity. Ret, Aerobic - A type of bacterial ret where the predominant bacteria are aerobic, i.e., work only in the presence of oxygen. Ret, Anaerobic - Any type of bacterial retting where the predominant bacteria are anaerobic, i.e., work in the absence of oxygen. This is the usual condition. Ret, Belgian - A term applied to a tank ret where warm water is sprayed into the bottom of the tank at intervals. Ret, Channel - A ret in which crates of flax are regularly introduced at one end of a water channel and removed at the other end. Ret, Chemical - The straw is subjected to chemical solutions to induce loosening of the fibre from the wood. Ret, Dam - Water retting by immersing the crop or de-seeded straw in dams cut in the earth and filled with water at natural temperature. Ret, Dew - The straw is spread on the ground in the open, in a thin layer and retting is effected by the action of fungi in the presence of rain, dew and sunlight. Ret, Double - The straw is subjected to two independent rets with intermediate drying. Ret, Duplex - A form of tank retting in which one tankful of straw undergoing the second half of its ret is in circulation with another tankful undergoing the first half of its ret. Ret, Interrupted - Essentially a two-stage warm water tank ret, the retting liquor being replaced by fresh water when the ret is about one-half to two-thirds complete. Ret, Pond - Water retting by immersing the crop or de-seeded straw in natural ponds. Ret, River - The straw is immersed in rivers, but usually after being packed in crates. Ret, Rossi - A type of aerated or aerobic retting in which a pure culture of bacteria is introduced. Ret, Tank- - The straw is packed into concrete or other tanks and the temperature of the water and its renewal during the ret is controlled. Ret, Water - The total immersion of the straw in water to induce retting by bacterial action. Retting - The subjection of crop or deseeded straw to chemical or biological treatment to make the fibre strands more easily separable from the woody part of the stem.

The process of separating the fibre from the stalks of flax, hemp, etc., by exposure to the weather upon the open field. The fibre obtained is browner in colour than the white fibre obtained by water retting.

hot water retting

A very high-grade of hemp fibre prepared by water-retting and is of a creamy white colour, lustrous, soft and pliable. It makes a satisfactory substitute for flax and is used for medium grades of nearly all classes of goods commonly made from flax, except the finer linens.

The cocoanut when taken from the tree has a thick fibrous covering, varying from 3-in. to 6 in. in thickness. The kernel is extracted, and the husk is retted to obtain the fibres. The retting is done by keeping the husks under water for several months. This retting dissolves the gum which binds the fibres together and leaves the fibres soft and pliable. In the Anjengo district the retting is done in brackish water which gives a better fibre than when done in fresh water. For this reason Anjengo yarn is claimed as of better quality. The yarns spun from the coir fibre are generally hand produced. The fibre is a reddish brown colour, up to 10 in long, and occurs in the form of large stiff and very elastic filaments, each filament being round smooth and somewhat like horse hair It possesses remarkable tenacity and curls easily. The fibre is used in the South Seas instead of oakum for caulking boats and vessels and it is claimed that it will never rot. Coir fibre is principally used for making mats, cordage, rugs and carpets. About 1 lb of fibre is obtained from six cocoanuts (see Coir Yarn and Kogalla Yarn)

The so-called common hemp is the hemp proper and is derived from the bast of Cannabis sativa, a shrub growing from 6 feet to 15 feet in height. Though originally a native of India and Persia, it is now cultivated in nearly all the temperate and tropical countries or the world. It is an annual plant, with a straight stalk, and elongated, highly dentated leaves. The leaves have a narcotic odour and occur in bunches of three, five or seven. Russia produces an enormous quantity, Poland also is a large producer, both these are of a lower quality than others. French hemp is much superior in quality to that from either Russia or Poland, being fine, white and lustrous. Italian hemp is also of a very high grade. Indian hemp is grown not so much for its fibre as for its narcotic properties. Japanese hemp is of excellent quality, and appears in trade in the form of very thin ribbons, smooth and glossy, of a light straw colour, and the frayed ends showing a fibre of exceeding fineness. Hemp is the oldest textile that has been used in Japan. Hemp fibre is obtained from the plant by a process of retting, similar to that used for flax. Dew retting is chiefly employed, that is, the stalks are spread out in the fields until the action of the elements causes the woody tissue and gums enclosing the fibres to decompose. It is said that 100 parts of raw hemp produce 25 parts of raw fibre or filasse; and loo parts of the latter yields 65 parts of combed filasse and 32 parts of tow. The commercial fibre is pearly-grey, yellowish or greenish to brown in colour, and from 40-in. to 80-in. long. It is not as fine as linen, though its tensile strength is appreciably greater. The best qualities of hemp are very light in colour and possess a high lustre almost equal to linen. Hemp is principally used for twines and cordage, for which its great strength eminently adapts it, and also because it is very durable and does not rot in water. The better qualities of hemp are also used for " linen " crash, homespuns, carpets and as warp in making carpets and mgs.

A fibre obtained from the stalk of the plant " Cannibis sativa." It is inferior in quality to flax, but stronger and easily bleached. It is grown in India, Italy, Russia, Poland and many other countries. The better grades are used in the manufacture of carpets. It is obtained in a similar manner to flax by retting, breaking, crushing, cutting and hackling. It is not rotted by water and is much used for ropes, sailcloth, etc. (see common Hemp). Hemp Varieties - Among the different varieties of hemp appearing in trade are the following: - Ambari (or brown) hemp, Bengal (or Bombay) hemp, Blackfellow's hemp, Bowstring (Africa), Bowstring (Florida), Calcutta hemp (jute), Cebu, Colorado River, Cretan, Cuban, False hemp (America), False sisal hemp. Giant hemp (China), Hayti, Ife, Indian, Jubbulpore (Madras), Manila, New Zealand hemp (or flax), Pangane, Pita, Pua (India), Queensland, Rangoon, Roselle, Sisal, Sunn, Swedish, Tampico, Water, Wild, Italian (see under each name) ———————— The fibre obtained from the Phormium Tenax plant which is a native of New Zealand and South Australia. The fibre is very white, soft and flexible and has a high lustre. It differs from most hemp fibres in that it is obtained from the leaf and not the bast. It is not so fine or regular as true flax, nor does it spin as well, but it is superior to either flax or hemp in its tenacity. It is largely used for cordage, twine and floor-matting, through the best fibre is woven into a duck fabric closely resembling linen. There are numerous local names for this plant - The common variety of the lowland swamps is Harakeke, that of the higher ground is Paritanewha, and the best variety is called Taihore. The fibre is generally known as Muka.

Flax, Broken - Scutched flax which is less than 20-in. long and therefore unfit for hackling in the spinning mill. Flax, C.D. and T. - Graders' marks which denote the type of scutched flax: c (chaine) to represent warps, D (demi) to represent medium warps, and T (trame) to represent wefts. Flax, Green, or Natural - Scutched flax produced from de-seeded straw without any intermediate treatment such as retting. Flax, Line - The hackled flax produced by a hackling machine or hand hackling. A term sometimes erroneously applied to scutched flax. Flax, Retted - Scutched flax produced from straw which has been retted. Usually divided into three main classes, namely, water retted flax, dew retted flax, and chemically retted flax. Flax, Scutched - The product from the delivery end of a scutching machine or from scutching flax straw on a wheel. It consists of the long fibre strands in a parallel condition and substantially free from wood and other extraneous material. The yield of scutched flax is commonly expressed as stones (14-lb.) per acre, but in Ireland it is sometimes expressed as stones per peck of seed sown. The average yield per acre of scutched flax has varied according to year from about 20 stones per acre to 40 stones per acre, with occasional exceptional yields of 80 and 90 stones per acre. Grader, Flax - The man who places the scutched flaxes in their appropriate grades of quality by eye judgment and feel. Grades, Flax - Tank retted flaxes are graded from A through the alphabet in ascending order of value. Dam retted flaxes are graded from 1-7 in descending order of value. Dew retted flaxes are graded 0-6 in descending order of value. Grades, Tow - Green tow is graded 1-8 and then 9a, 9b, Z, Z₂, and beater tow in descending order of value. Tank retted tow is graded I, II, III, 1, 2, 3, 3X, 3XXX, in descending order, whilst dam and dew retted tows are I, II, II, 1, 2, 3. Pluckings - The short, clean fibre produced at the end of the scutching machine where the operatives dress and square the pieces of flax ready for selection. In grading pluckings are classed as tow (q.v.). Root Ends, Straw - The broken-off roots which fall from the straw under the breaking rollers. Rug, Scutching - All the detritus which falls below the two compartments of the scutching machine after the shives have been shaken out of it, or the waste made when producing scutched flax on a wheel. It consists of partly scutched short straws, broken straws, weeds, and beater tow. It is classed as root end rug or top end rug, according to which end of the flax it comes from. Selection - The preliminary sorting of the scutched flax into main grades at the delivery end of the scutching machine. Shives - The short pieces of woody waste beaten from the straw during scutching. Tow - Any substantially clean but tossed and tangled flax fibre of less than scutched flax length. Tow Baling - The operation of making-up tow into bales. Tow, Beater - Short, fine, clean fibres which fall from the last third of the compartments during scutching. Tow, Inferior low grade (Green) - Green tow of a grade lower than 9a. Tow, Inferior low grade (Retted) - Retted tow of a grade lower than 3XXX. Tow, Machine, or Cast - Tow produced by the hackling machine. Tow, Rejected - Tow unsuitable for spinning on flax tow machinery. Tow, Rescutched - Two scutched on tow handles or a tow scutching machine. Tow, Rolled - The product from passing scutching rug through tow rollers and highspeed shaker. Tow, Rolled and Beaten - The product from passing scutching rug through tow rollers and beaters, and a high-speed shaker. The principal flax markets of the world are at Courtrai, Bruges, Ghent, Lokeren and Zele in Belgium; Rotterdam in Holland; Riga in Latvia; Leningrad, Pernau and Witebek in Russia; Douai and Flines in France; Newry, Rathfriland, Strabane, Ballymoney, Lisnaskea, Ballybay and Armagh in Ireland. Courtrai flax is the finest produced. It is uniform in fibre, strong, clean and of a good colour. Yarns up to 200's lea are spun from it. Irish flax comes next in spinning qualities from 90's to 120's lea are produced. As a warp yarn it is much preferred as the strength is greater than other types. Flemish flax is dark in colour, dryer than others, strong, and can be spun up to 120's lea. Dutch flax is clean, good colour and spins into yams up to 90's lea. Russian flax is coarser than the above types and is usually spun up to about 70's lea.