t%C2. Thoughts on Flax Ilujhanclrf, ^0 



fucli as occurs to me, on the fubjccl of extending the growth of 

 flax. 



There is not a doubt, that as luxuriant and producftive crops of 

 flax may be raifcd in many parts of Scotland, as perhaps in any 

 other country; a!\d though the encouragement held out by the 

 Honourable Board of Trultces may be tempting to many, yet 

 adverfe circumftanccs, of different kinds, dt-ter tlie generality of 

 farmers, and chiefly the greateil and moft intelligent ones, from 

 embarking in the trade ; fuch as, that notwithtianding it is 

 deemed the mod rubbing crop that grows, there is no return from 

 it to the dunghill ; the operations of weeding, pulling, watering, 

 grafing, Sec. interferes fo much with hay and corn harvelt, 

 turnip work, preparing land for wheat, &c. ; befules the unfkil- 

 fulnefs of m.olt farmers in the prccefs of watering or fteeping, 

 is enough to deter them from it ; not to mention the total want 

 of proper watering places in many Htiiations, with the general 

 ab'jfes at lint miUs, where a farmer cannot give attendance, and 

 where the workmen are not only unfkilful, but fliamefully care- 

 lefs, often allowing half of the lint to be knocked away with the 

 Ikutchers, and cleaning the remainder very improperly. As a 

 remedy for thefe abufes and inconveniences, allow me to fuggefl:, 

 that if the trade was in the hands of a fet of opulent and 

 {kilful men, who have made it their ftudy to underiland every 

 part of the management of lint in all its flages, and v/ho would 

 purchafe it from the farmers when ready for pulling, fo as they 

 may have no further trouble, unlefs perhaps alhfting with the 

 carriage of it to the watering place, to the fpreading field, and 

 to the mill : In this way, the trade might flouriih, as fuch 

 people would be able to afford the farmer a price that would 

 make it worth his while to raife jBax, and have a handfome profit 

 to themfelves. We may naturally fuppofe, that thefe lint boors, 

 as they are called in Holland, when properly eltr-bliihed, will 

 provide themfelves with every requifite for carrying on their 

 bufinefs ; fuch as, lint-mills (perhaps on an improved plan) in 

 their own pofTdilion, v/ith proper hands for working them, under 

 fheir own eye ; aifo proper watering-places, upon a large fcale, 

 detached from running waters or lakes, where 'the fteeping of 

 lint is a nuifance, and does mifchief, by poifoning the fifii, cattle, 

 or horfes, and hurting the health of the people, who are obliged, 

 in many places, to ufe thefe running waters, for want of fprings, 

 though at fome miles below where it is Iteeped. A lint boor, 

 who carries on an extenfive trade, can much better afford to 

 have all thefe conveniences in a proper ftyle, than a farmer can, 

 to whom it is but a fecondary objetl ; while, on the other hand, 

 as it would be the fole trade of the former, he can fee juftice 



clone. 



