300 AgricuUuj-al Gazette of N.S. W. [April 2, 1908. 



perfect and the seeds may be well lilled, large liwif surfaces exjoauded to the 

 sun and air are a n(^cessity, as these arc the nianufacturiii<f source of the seed 

 content. T<i<i iiiurli ninistui-c t hrou,<,di<>iit t lie uiMwtli season results in weak 

 and imperfect stems and poor hoU and seed formation. If a severe <h"ought 

 should occur at or near the time of tiowering or boll and seed formation, it will 

 prevent the proper flow of sap and occasion the hardening and ripen- 

 ing of the straw, especiall}' of the slender and thin stems up(jn which 

 the bolls are formed, thus cutting oft' the proper su])ply of food material* 

 from the seeds. Every etloit shoulil. tlinct'ore, he made to pro\ ide a type of 

 soil which will maintain to the last a suthcient sup{)ly of moisture. The flax 

 plant when supplied with a sul)soil moistuie will stand very severe conditions 

 of atmospheric heat and di'ought. 



A period of extrcuu; impoitance in the gi'owth of the crop is that which 

 immediately follows seed gernnnation. It is of the Utmost importance that 

 the germination should hi; i-apid and that the soil should be in such conditinn 

 as to allow the seedlings to come iunnediately above the surface. This- 

 accounts for the great care which should be exercised in the preparation of 

 the soil for the seed-boMl, as desciibed later. 



Cultural Methods. 



TIk' matter of t'orniulaling some systematic methods of flax culture which 

 shall be i-ecognised as of special merit is of tiist impoitance when considering- 

 the question of establishing the crop as a staple one in any particulai- region. 

 In America thei-e is a gi-eat diflference of opinion as to what aiethods should 

 best be pursued in prej)aring the seed-bed, sowing the seed, and harvesting 

 the })roduct. Generally, the ciop is looked upon as a side issue, and is cared 

 for without much uniformity of effort and method. Even in the old flax- 

 producing regions of Europe the writer found that definite knowledge as to^ 

 the best methods <if handling the soil and seed is liardlv to be had except 

 from observation. A great diversity of belief was found to exist. The 

 processes generally followed and the methods which may be calculated to- 

 give the most satisfactory results are outliiu>d in the following })ages. 



The Seed. 



The most successful llix-growers place great stress upon the care with 

 which the seed is handled, and upon the type and character of seed which is 

 used ; but it is a peculiar, indeed, a strange feature of the (Mitire system if 

 flax culture that Jio matter what region is visited one liniis that the protlucer 

 of the crop believes lie should send to some distant region to prncure seed. 

 It is evident that this belief alone would result in a \vv\ thoi-ough mixng 

 of all the kinds, types, or varieties, and at the same time it practically 

 eliminates the idea of seed development or seed breeding. 



The writei- is convinced that the raising of fjroperly-cared-for home grown 

 seed would be of great advantage to tlie entire fibre industrv of the Nether- 

 lands. This statement is made here in order to iuiiuc^^s upon the American 

 flax-producer the fact that, if it is to b(^ hoped ever to make the crop reach a. 



