The difference in color is due chiefly to the process of “retting.”
When the retting is complete, the flax is set up in sheaves to dry.
The fiber is separated from the plant by retting, beating, etc.
This loss is greater the finer the stems, and the longer the retting.
Then the flax is bound in bundles for the next process, which is retting.
Most of this richness is in the seed and the part of the stalk that is removed in the retting.
The fibre is separated from the stalks by a process of retting similar to that for flax and hemp.
It is stated that the colour of the fibre is darkened if the leaves are allowed to remain on during the process of retting.
Any simple operation which improves the colour of the fibre or shortens the operation of retting is worthy of consideration.
After the first few days of immersion the stalks are examined daily to test the progress of the retting.
"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.
