l8oo. upon the Cultivation of Flax ill RiilJiai ^c. 57 



the one or the other, would be quickly rotted, befides having 

 a tendency to fpread and infecl the reft, the more and the far- 

 ther, the longer it might remain undifcovered. 



A continuation of rainy weather, during this operation, 13 

 rather unfavourable, but feldom or never produdlive of any 

 material lofs ; becaiife lefs time of fiichy than of dry weather, is 

 fufficient for efFe£ling that preparatory degree of mortification 

 thereby intended, or which is necefFary for completing tlie dif- 

 jun£lion of the harl from the flalks, rinds, or fcales ; the ly- 

 ing in tliis fiLuation a fev/ days longer than is abfclutely necef- 

 fary, not being prejudicial, and the opportunity of one fair day 

 only, fufficient for the purpofe of houfing. The needy pea- 

 fant fets about dreffing as much as pofiible immediately, in or- 

 der to turn it into caih, for the payment of his Michaelmas 

 rent ; but the man of fubftance does not think of this, until 

 he has firft put his Winter feed in^o the ground, and fiuiflied 

 all his out-of-door, or field work. 



10. The manner of breaking and cleaning, as well ^s the 

 forms of the inllruments therein employed, being fuppofed to 

 be the fame all over, and the ultimate difference to confift on- 

 ly in the degree to which the cleaning is carried, a particular 

 defcription of either feems to be fuperfluous. 



If the v/eather is clear and warm, the heat of the fun proves 

 fufficient for effe£ling the firft part of the operation, (viz. of 

 foftening the harl^ and fpringitig or JpUtting the fcales) ; but if 

 it is not, a room, moderately heated by an oven or ftove, m.uft 

 be had recourfe to ; and every peafant, in the praftice of cul- 

 tivating any quantity, either of fiax or of hemp, has an apar£-i 

 ment for that particular purpofe. 



11. Hov/ever much may depend on the judicious manafve^ 

 ment of thefe effential points, it is neverthekfs to be obferved, 

 that the great difference of quality^ diftinguifhed by the n^me.^ 

 of the feveral provinces, countries, or eftates, in which they re- 

 fpe£tively grow, do not arife from the variety of the quality 

 of the feed, or from that of any other circumilances than t\\i 

 foil and climate ; and that the utmoft exertions of knowledge 

 and indultry, can therefore only to a certain degree improve^ 

 but never effe£l an abfolute change in the quality^ known to be 

 the produce of any particular province, country, or eftate, fo 

 far as that the beft of the one can never be brought to equal 

 the beft of the other, although fraiated under the fame lati- 

 tudes. 



12. It is generally underftocd ;.hat the cultivation of flax 

 ?.nd hemp is more profitable in thcfe countries than that of any 

 fort of grain. 



Suppoling a piece of ground put into the ufual flate of cul- 

 Vivadon for beanng a crop of hcmp;, the other crops which it 



V/ouid 



