262 



Suppose twenty-five bushels per acre are raised, which will be a fair crop, and 

 suppose the fibre, instead of being carried away and sold in the rough state, is 

 dressed by the farmer at his leisure, the result will be : 



One acre, 25 bushels, at $1 $25 00 



300 lbs. dressed flax, 6 cents at least 18 00 



$43 00 



This conclusively shows that the crop will be a profitable one to the farmer, 

 even more so than wheat ; but this is not all — the effect of making it a staple and 

 general product upon the country, is worthy of special notice: 



First. — It will require to be established, in almost every township or village, a 

 flax-breaking macliine, where the fibre may be sold for cash, by the ton. 



Second. — It will demand the establishment in almost every settled county, of 

 an oil mill, where cash will be paid for the seed. 



Third. — A great variety of linen fabrics are manufactured from the fibre, and 

 the seed may be converted into oil, food for cattle, and medicinal articles. 



Fourth. — It gives the farmer comparatively a sure and valuable product, that 

 he may always sell at a cei'tain market price for cash, or exchange with the mer- 

 chant for goods, a staple that may profitably employ his domestic industry in its 

 manufacture into articles for clothing. 



Fifth. — It furnishes to the merchants, or other buyers in the country, an im- 

 portant and valuable article of export, in the form of flax and linseed oil. 



Sixth. — It gives employment to mechanics and other laboi'ers in our own State 

 in its preparation for market; and in the two articles of oil and dressed flax, will 

 make a balance of trade in our fa\'or of a large amount. 



Within the next ten months, the above ad\'antages of this crop may be, in a 

 measure, realized by this State. Ten thousand bushels of seed should, as soon as 

 practicable, be brought here, to be distributed generally among the farmers of 

 the State, at cost, which would amount to the sum of 815,000. Ten thousand 

 bushels would sow ten thousand acres, which, according to the above average 

 estimate, would produce to the State, in the first year, in seed and fibre, in value 

 $250,000. 



During the second year, if we should sow one half of the seed of the first year's 

 crop, at one bushel to the acre, fort-hat year, at the same estimate, there would be 

 produced to the state in seed and fibre, in value, $2,000,000. 



Such a result vrould certainly seem worth securing to the farming interest of 

 this state ; and I cannot see what should necessarily prevent it, except it be an 

 unwillingness to make the effort. 



We have the soil and climate well adapted to this crop, as has been well and 



