Cultivation and Proyer Management of Flax. 191 



the flax well, when it is weighted down with tough sods or 

 smooth stones ; and they are inconveniently broad if a man 

 cannot throw out the watered flax from the centre to either side. 

 Too much of the water should not be run off the dam before 

 casting the flax out, for if it has been covered with sods, the 

 earthy and sandy particles must be carefully washed off every 

 beet before it leaves the water. If these be left, they would 

 adhere to the fibre, and perhaps eventually eat it through. The 

 watered flax, moreover, cannot be too tenderly handled ; lifting 

 it rudely, pulling it over hard substances, standing upon it, 

 tossing it about with forks and " grapes," are all excessively 

 injurious, and must by all means be strictly avoided. 



Some years ago, in many parts of Ulster, flax was steeped in 

 teipid water. The process was highly spoken of at the time ; but, 

 somehow or other, it has latterly been discontinued. In our flax- 

 growing province at present rettories are all but unknown. This 

 is no proof, however, that tepid water is not the best for steeping 

 flax. The expense of getting up rettories has largely militated 

 against their use. The wonderfully successful application of hot 

 water of medium and equable temperature, both in Belgium and 

 England, is presumptive evidence that Ireland, though she may 

 stand well on the score oi groicing flax, is nevertheless behind the 

 age in her cold-water mode of " steeping." One of the most 

 important agricultural problems of the day, in the solution of 

 which the farmers of both England and Ireland are concerned, is. 

 How can the farmers of these countries continue to steep their 

 own flax, and yet do so at moderate expense in tepid water, ac- 

 cording to the method adopted by the most approved rettories of 

 Belgium ? 



Spreading. — When the flax is thrown out of the water it 

 should not be allowed to remain any length of time in the heap. 

 One day in the heap is more trying to it than two in the water. 

 As many hands should be got together as will spread the whole lot 

 the day it leaves the water. The carters should lift it gently, 

 and lay it down in single beets behind the spreaders at easy 

 distances. A careful person should loose the beets and lay them 

 close up to the spreaders' hands. The layer of flax on the grass 

 should not be thick, and should be well shaken asunder with a 

 very gentle hand. The butts and tops should be kept level, and 

 none of it should be broken or left lying across the rest. The 

 field on which it is spread should be a soft close pasture if 

 possible, but if that is not to be had, any other field that is clean 

 and level in its surface will suit the purpose. Should the flax 

 have been taken out of the water somewhat hard, a short time 

 longer on the grass will be a compensation ; but if it has got too 



