An important crop in early America was flax. We see flax, flax seed, flax yarn, flax wheels, flax combs, and flax hetchalls in wills and probate inventories. But what is flax and why did our ancestors grow it?
Flax has been cultivated for, literally, several millennia. It grows well around the Mediterranean Sea, across much of the European continent, and in North America, with many different varieties. The ancient Egyptians grew flax, as did many other cultures. The overall process is similar from one area to the next, but with variations in tools and methods. Flax is a thin plant, growing one to three feet tall. The straight stalk has a woody center core and a woody outer husk. Between these, the long flax fibers grow from the root to the flowers, held by a gummy substance.
Seeds are sown in the spring, with the conventional wisdom suggesting Good Friday as the best date (but only if winter is definitely over). Once the seeds are sown, the flax plants grow quickly. This depletes nutrients in the soil, so crop rotation is necessary. As with the growing of tobacco (see “He Called for his Pipe,” Part 1), weeding is of key importance to allow the stem to grow straight. This was usually done by women.
When the flax plants have grown to maturity, they are harvested by...
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