History At Your Finger Tips
Connect with Us
  • History at your Fingertips
  • Dig Deeper
    • Progress Dig Deeper
    • Transportation Dig Deeper
    • Country Store Dig Deeper
    • Dig Deeper Two
    • Dig Deeper Three
    • Dig Deeper Four
    • Dig Deeper Five
    • Dig Deeper Six
  • Heritage Quest Game
    • HQ Food >
      • Large Butter Churn
      • Flint
      • Black Powder
      • Knife
      • Apple Peeler
      • Bread
      • Kettle
      • Coal
      • Jerky
      • Crocks
      • Butter Mold
      • Pot Belly Stove
      • Long Skillet
      • Nuts
      • Meat Grinder
      • Pot
      • Salt
      • Vinegar
      • Beans and Rice
    • HQ Hunting >
      • Rifle
      • Animal Trap
      • Bow
      • Black Powder
      • Arrows
      • Powder Horn
      • Map
      • Candy
      • Sling Shot
      • Lye Soap
      • Lead Shot
      • Potato Chips
    • HQ Shelter >
      • Adze
      • Water Pump
      • Gloves
      • Auger
      • Draw Knife
      • Broad Axe
      • Grinding Stone
      • Bark Removal
      • Small Broad Axe
      • Crosscut Saw
      • Rope
      • Chain
      • Felling Axe
      • Apple Peeler
      • Baby Carriage
      • Candle
      • Baby Crib
    • HQ Clothing >
      • Blankets
      • Cotton
      • Shoes
      • Compass
      • Flat Iron
      • Sewing Kit
      • Sheep Shears
      • Lye Soap
      • Wool
      • Extra Clothes
      • Carding Tool
      • Flax
      • Horse Shoe
      • Travel Chest
  • Characters
    • Chuck Wagon Cook
    • Peddler
    • Thomas Jefferson
    • Sheriff
    • Simon Kenton >
      • Simon Kenton Web Links
      • Story Tellers
    • 1850 Cabin >
      • 1850 Cabin Two
      • 1850 Cabin Three
  • Raccoon
  • Raccoon Two
  • Raccoon Three
  • Jonas
  • Jonas Page Two
  • Jency
  • Jency Two
  • Jency three
  • Prisciller
  • Prisciller Two
  • Prisciller Three
  • Eleanor
  • Eleanor Two
  • Eleanor Three
  • Ophelia
  • Ophelia Two
  • Ophelia Three
  • Ophelia four
  • Lance
  • Lance Two
  • Austin
  • Austin Two
  • Austin Three
  • Austin Four
  • Peggy Sue
  • Peggy Sue Two
  • Peggy Sue Three
  • Prudence
  • Martha
  • Martha Two
  • Martha Three
  • James “Hank” Monk
  • James “Hank” Monk two
  • Jason
  • Jason Two
  • Sawyer
  • Sawyer Two
  • Little Corn
  • Little Corn two
  • Fancy Flowers
  • Fancy Flowers Two
  • Walter
  • Walter Two
  • Mrs. Garfield and Gavin
  • Mrs. Garfield and Gavin two
  • Mrs. Garfield and Gavin three
  • Blog
  • Gladys June
  • Gladys June two
  • Gavin
  • Gavin Two
  • Gavin Three
  • Gavin Four
  • Jeff
  • Jeff two
  • Jeff three
  • Luther
  • Dorathea
  • Dorothea two
  • Dorathea three
  • Dorothea
  • Oliva
  • Olivia two
  • Miss Mary
  • Miss Mary two
  • Lavinia
  • Lavinia Two
  • Lavinia Three
  • Lavinia Four
  • Robert
  • Annabel
  • Annabel two
  • Annabel Three
  • Annabel Four
  • Camilla
  • Camilla two
  • Abigail
  • Abigail two
  • Charles
  • Swift Wolf
  • Autumn Leaf
  • Addy
  • Addy two
  • Addy three
  • Boomer
  • Robert page two
  • Contact Information
  • Comments
  • Swift Wolf two
  • Autumn Leaf two
  • Prudence two
  • Spinner's Weasel
  • Post Office
  • Corless, Coon, & Co.
  • Sears Catalogue
  • Boye Thread Co.
  • Clark O.N.T. Thread Co.
  • Video Page
  • Video Page Two
  • Lily Thread
  • Conestoga wagon
  • Humphreys Remidees
  • Coal Oil Lamps
  • Sears Catalog
  • Linotype
  • Post Office
  • Stereoscope
  • Denby Truck
  • Red Comet
  • Stage Coach
  • Curtis Truck
  • Ford Depot Hack
  • 1909 Sears Motor Buggy
  • Pill Roller
  • Jukebox
  • The Radio Cabinet
  • Gas Pumps
  • Flax
  • Flax 2
  • Link Page
  • IBM Cheese
  • Zoetrope
  • Scavenger Hunts
Picture

History of Flax ​

The earliest evidence of humans using wild flax as a textile comes from the present-day Republic of Georgia, where spun, dyed, and knotted wild flax fibers were found in Dzudzuana Cave and dated to the Upper Paleolithic, 30,000 years ago. Flax was first domesticated in the Fertile Crescent region. Evidence exists of a domesticated oilseed flax with increased seed size by 9,000 years ago from Tell Ramad in Syria. Use of the crop steadily spread, reaching as far as Switzerland and Germany by 5,000 years ago. In China and India, domesticated flax was cultivated also at least 5,000 years ago

Cultivating ​​

It takes about 100 days from seed planting to harvesting of the flax plant. Flax cannot endure very hot weather; thus, in many countries, the planting of seed is figured from the date or time of year in which the flax must be harvested due to heat and the growers count back 100 days to determine a date for planting. In some areas of the world, flax is sown in winter because of heat in early spring. In commercial production, the land is plowed in the spring then worked into a good seedbed by discing, harrowing, and rolling. Flax seeds must be shallowly planted. 
Once flax is harvested and the fiber removed from the stalks, a scutching machine removes the broken outer layer called shives.
seed must be covered over with soil. Machines may also plant the seed in rows.
Flax plants are poor competitors with weeds. Weeds reduce fiber yields and increase the difficulty in harvesting the plant. Tillage of the soil reduces weeds as do herbicides. When the flax plants are just a few inches high, the area must be carefully weeded so as not to disturb the delicate sprouts. In three months, the plants are straight, slender stalks that may be 2-4 ft (61-122 cm) in height with small blue or white fibers. (Flax plants with blue flowers yield the finest linen fibers.
Picture
Picture

Harvesting ​

After about 90 days, the leaves wither, the stem turns yellow and the seeds turn brown, indicating it is time to harvest the plant. The plant must be pulled as soon as it appears brown as any delay results in linen without the prized luster. It is imperative that the stalk not be cut in the harvesting process but removed from the ground intact; if the stalk is cut the sap is lost, and this affects the quality of the linen. These plants are often pulled out of the ground by hand, grasped just under the seed heads and gently tugged. The tapered ends of the stalk must be preserved so that a smooth yarn may be spun. These stalks are tied in bundles called beets and are ready for extraction of the flax fiber in the stalk. However, fairly efficient machines can pull the plants from the ground as well
Dig Deeper

Location