3
payroll, and erected the processing
plant where flax bought by the field
crews is decorticated and baled for
shipment to Pisgah Forest.
No sooner were these steps an
nounced in early 1973 than attention
turned to final details of a long-
A few miles from the Canadian bor
der in this northern Minnesota flax
field, Harvey Wheatley explains to
Howard Schmidt, left, the importance
of the field organization’s close
identity and cooperation with flax
farmers. Once the seed crop is
harvested the farmer can make
extra money by selling baled flax
straw, whether to Ecusta or com
petitor, but weather conditions and
long distances can persuade the far
mer to plow the scarce commodity
under. This is not likely to happen
when there is friendly identity
planned project to expand Ecusta’s
capacity for making flax cigarette
paper, a move that would pose even
higher demands on flax quantity.
It was partly in view of this that
attention turned to worldwide
supplies and a series of events
between farmer and buyer, Wheatley
said. The conversation took place
during the daylong aerial audit of
flax storage areas, down briefly for
refueling the plane. Although this
flax growth was shorter than usual
because of the dry summer, flax
crops a short distance west were
damaged by the severe flooding
of the Red River Valley. Cooler
northern weather held back the
blooming of flax in this field near
Roseau, whereas in South Dakota
the masses of violet-blue flowers
faded into sky at distant horizon.
leading to today’s large usage of
imported flax; and to manufacturing
changes needed to utilize the
markedly different fibre.
Domestic flax can go directly into
the digesters. Its fibre length is
shortened in the descorticating
process that removes the woody
fibres, or shives, so that no special
treatment is needed prior to pulping.
The imported flax, on the other hand,
is grown mainly for the textile
industry. In contrast to domestic
flax which is harvested after the
seeds are matured, flax for fabric is
harvested when the seeds are not
fully ripe, but when the fibres are at
their best for removal and processing
to produce linen thread. After the
plants are dried and seeds removed,
the fibres have to be dislodged
from the woody core of the plant
and the pectic gum that holds them
together. Called retting, this process
involves soaking the plants in chem
ically treated water. The result is a
much longer fibre length that must
be cut prior to pulping, such as now
takes place in a converted warehouse
south of the Pulp Mill. Supplies of
foreign flax seem certain to become
a way of life.
(more on flax pages 4-11)
Mo fish tale this, the evidence
speaks for itself. Bobby Fullbright,
son of Birdean Fullbright of the End
less Belt Department, caught these
fish at Camp Straus a few days be
fore the Fourth of July picnic.