This loss is greater the finer the stems, and the longer the retting.
The difference in color is due chiefly to the process of “retting.”
Several other attempts have been made with a view of obtaining a quick and practical method of retting flax.
Then the flax is bound in bundles for the next process, which is retting.
Breaking means removing the dry wood portion which has been decomposed by the retting.
Most of this richness is in the seed and the part of the stalk that is removed in the retting.
Any simple operation which improves the colour of the fibre or shortens the operation of retting is worthy of consideration.
The fibre is separated from the stalks by a process of retting similar to that for flax and hemp.
The fiber is separated from the plant by retting, beating, etc.
retting in stagnant water is the method usually employed in Ireland and Russia.
"to soak stems of fibrous plants (flax, hemp, jute, etc.) to soften them," mid-15c., probably from Middle Dutch roten (or an unrecorded cognate Old Norse word that is related to Norwegian røyta, Swedish röta, Danish røde); considered to be related to Old English rotian "to rot" (see rot (v.)), but the vowel is difficult.
