April 2, 1908.] Agricultural Gazette of N.S.W. 311 



sin,ijle forms, have convinced the writer that there are several well-marked 

 varieties of cultivated field flax. Among these there are at least two which 

 should he classed as species, namely, Linum iisitatissiiinnn, L., including all 

 of the small-seeded varieties, and Linum Immile, Mill, including the large- 

 seeded varieties. Of the first-named species, the following varieties may be 

 liisted : — (1) common blue-fiowered fibre flax ; (2) common blue-flowered t-eed 

 flax ; (3) dehiscent-boll seed flax ; (4) common white-flowered fibre flax ; and 

 (5) white-flowered white-seeded flax. 



Of the big-seeded Sicilian species, Linum humile, the following types may 

 be iiot'-d: — (1) Sicilian big-seeded, blue-flowered seed flax, sonu'times grown 

 as a winter variety ; (2) big-seeded, white-flowered, white-seeded flax ; and 

 (3) Indian seed flax, Egyptian seed flax, and Argentine seed flax. The latter 

 are large-seeded varieties of a character almost midway between the Sicilian 

 big-seeded flax and the common Russian seed flax. Each has some qualities 

 distinguishing it more or less definitely. 



There seem to be many intermediate grades or strains between the two 

 species mentioned, and within the various varieties named. Because the 

 crop has always been grown without much care as to jjurity or variety, there 

 have been much intermingling and mixing, possibly cross-breeding ; and it 

 is a matter worthy of experiment to determine, just now, how far the so- 

 called " running out" of varieties is due to cross-breeding, and how much is 

 due to mixing, from careless handling of the seed. Studies conducted upon 

 the varieties of these two species of cultivated flax tend to indicate that they 

 are usually close fertilised. Individual flowers, for example, produce seed 

 freely, whether in association with other flowers or not. The structure of 

 the flowers, while possibly allowing cross-fertilisation, is such as to indicate 

 that they do not usually cross-fertili>e to any great extent. It is the opinion 

 of the writer that practically all cases in wdiich the different varieties are 

 reported as "running out" may be traced to careless seed handling and 

 mixing, whereby tlie common type characteristic of a particular region soon 

 predominates over the imported strain. 



In the Public Ledger, London, of November 30th, 1907, the current price 

 of various fibres are quoted as follows : — 



Aloe, per ton 

 China Grass, per ton 



,, Jute, ,, 



Mexican 



Raffia .. ... 



Hemp, per ton, c.i.f. — 



Polish 



Italian ... ... ■ 



Sunn... 



Other East Indian... 



Manila, brown 



^aJr 



good 



Mauritius ... 

 New Zealand 

 Sisal ... 



The Tvxiilc Mfrnin/, December 21, 1907, quotes flax as follows :— Bejetsky, ,£36 10s.; 

 Javapol, £-26 to £27 ; best Livonian, £20 ; Couiish, £1S to £10 ; and HoHs, £15 10s. to£16. 



