linum

Flora Eur. 660

flax, linen

The Germanic languages have different words for the plant and the fiber.

Linum usitatissimum L.

Lein, Flachs

lin

lino

G. 1.77

1.212

Breaking.Flax.jpeg Russia 1910 by Sergei Mikhailovich Prokudin-Gorskii	Flax.Field.England.jpg	flax.poppies.jpg
flax.retted.jpg	Linum.usitatissimum.1.jpg	Linum.usitatissimum.2.jpg
Linum.usitatissimum.3.jpg	Linum.usitatissimum.4.jpg	linum.usitatissimum.5.jpg
Linum.usitatissimum.6.jpg	Linum.usitatissimum.7.jpg	Linum.usitatissimum.poster.jpg

Retting is the process of cutting down the flax, letting it dew over, and develop a fungus that helps to break down the fibers. All in all, an extremely laborious process.

All about flax: http://www.flaxandhemp.bangor.ac.uk/english/guides_flax.htm

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