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flax growing had taken in the West, wrote me on his return, as follows: 

 "On passing through New York, I endeavored to get some of your flax 

 from your agent there, but he had sold out, and failing to get American 

 flax to suit our purpose, we have been compelled to order our supply from 

 Holland." 



My exertions to introduce, and advice as to carrying on the trade, not 

 recklessly by large sowings, but systematically, with mills to keep pace 

 with the growth, are on record ; and it will be a matter of surprise ten 

 years hence, when flax shall have become, as I doubt not it will, a staple 

 article of agricultural produce, that so much apathy should have been 

 exhibited respecting it at the outset. I do not mean on the part of 

 farmers, for they, I think, have done rather too much, but manufactur- 

 ers East, and directly interested owners of water powers here, might 

 have embarked capital advantageously in this branch of business. 



I have stirred up all within my reach, still, after five years labor, only 

 one mill, besides my own, is at work in Wisconsin, and that not through 

 my influence. 



I expect the next published statistics will show an import into the 

 United States of 1300@1500 tons of flax, while we, in Wisconsin, with 

 excellent soil and climate for raising it, contribute only some 40 or 50 

 tons to the consumption. 



So far as I have got returns for my flax of 1851, the prices realized 

 have been from twelve and one-half to fourteen cents per pound ; what 

 I have since sent forward, but of which I have not yet advice of sale, 

 should bring in the same proportion from fifteen to seventeen cents, being 

 of superior quality. 



I send you a sample of flax of my crop of 1849, which has been treated 

 exactly in the manner practised in the celebrated Courtrai District on the 

 frontiers of France and Belgium. This sample is, perhaps, a little better 

 than the rest of the crop which was managed in the usual way in the fall 

 of 1849 and spring of 1850, but nothing appears in it to warrant the 

 adoption of the Courtrai system here. As I said in my last communica- 

 tion, that system is to hold the crop over for three years before rotting ; 

 I believe that this sample owes its superiority to the adventitious circum- 

 stance of having had first a covering of snow and subsequently sunshine 

 when on the grass. 



I send you a pamphlet on the subject of flax, printed for private cir- 

 culation, by the eminent engineers, Messrs. Fairbairn of Leeds, England, 



