The fetid and noxious exhalations which the water-retting diffuses over an extensive district of country, and the danger of over-retting in that way, especially with stagnant water, are far from recommending that process to general adoption.
The loss of weight by dew-retting is somewhat less than by water-retting; and the textile fibres are of a brighter colour, softer and more delicate to the touch.
As soon as it sinks at the end of the fermentation, it must be inspected at least twice a day, and samples must be taken out to see that no over-retting ensues.
After the retting is completed, the boon of the stalks must be removed by the second operation called breaking, and other subordinate processes.
Hence the distinction of water-retting and dew-retting.
Prior to being retted, the flax should be sorted according to the length and thickness of its stalks, and its state of maturity; the riper the plant, the longer must the retting last.
This may be fairly regarded as the preferable plan, the retting being begun in the water, and finished in the air.
The retting in stagnant water is more rapidly done, but there is danger of over-retting on account of the organic matter retained in the water which favors fermentation.
When the retting is complete, the flax is set up in sheaves to dry.
This method of retting is practiced in Germany and Russia.
Warm water retting and chemicalretting have met with limited success.
The common retting process used for flax is not effective on account of the large amount of gummy matter, and although easy to bleach it is difficult to dye in full bright shades without injuring the luster of the fibers.
The fibre is separated from the stalks by a process of retting similar to that for flax and hemp.
It is also thought that the drying of the plants before retting facilitates the separation of the fibre.
The period necessary for the completion of the rettingprocess varies according to the temperature and to the properties of the water, and may occupy from two days to a month.
Any simple operation which improves the colour of the fibre or shortens the operation of retting is worthy of consideration.
In certain districts of Bengal it is the practice to stack the crop for a few days previous to retting in order to allow the leaves to dry and to drop off the stalks.
The stalks are sometimes set up in shocks to cure before retting, and after rettingthey are set up in shocks to dry.
Process retting by means of weak solutions of chemicals or oils in hot water is practiced to a limited extent.
That the system of retting (Loppens and Deswarte's patent) is at least equal to the Lys, as to quality and yield of fibre produced.
Several other attempts have been made with a view of obtaining a quick and practical method of retting flax.
In brief, Mr Andrews' method consists in introducing water at the proper temperature into the retting vat, and maintaining that temperature by keeping the air of the chamber at a proper degree of heat.
To a large extent retting continues to be conducted in the primitive fashions above described, although numerous and persistent attempts have been made to improve upon it, or to avoid the process altogether.
The only modification of water-retting which has hitherto endured the test of prolonged experiment, and taken a firm position as a distinct improvement, is the warm-water retting patented in England in 1846 by an American, Robert B.
Archangel flax is, however, peculiarly soft and silky in structure, although in all probability water-retting would result in a fibre as good or even better in quality.
It is thereafter once more tied up, placed in the crates, and sunk in the river to complete the retting process; but this double steeping is not invariably practised.
A process of retting by steam was introduced by W.
At the proper maturity the whole plant is harvested and the stems are tied into bundles ready for the retting process.
Some notion of the difficulty of this task in such plants as jute is gained by realizing that over twelve million bales of finished fiber are produced each year, and that the retting may take from two days to a month.
The retting process is aided by certain organisms of decay in the water, by the temperature, and by some other factors not yet understood.
The coarse fibers are found in the stem, and these are cut and retted, the retting or rotting process separating the fibers from the waste portions of the stem.
The above list will hopefully give you a few useful examples demonstrating the appropriate usage of "retting" in a variety of sentences. We hope that you will now be able to make sentences using this word.
