19^ Flax- Culture in England and Ireland. 



Apart from this, following Mr. Druce as a guide, he may 

 grow a few acres yearly, though he has to send his straw some 

 30 miles to a rettory ; and, under such circumstances, he will 

 naturally pay particular regard to the seed. According to Mr. 

 Druce, he may then hope to realise these returns : — 



£ s. d. 



For seed, say 20 bushels, at 9,s. 9 



,, 2 bushels inferior, at (is 12 



Straw, li ton, at 3?. 10s 5 5 



U 17 



But if this isolated course of proceeding be not inviting, the 

 alternative must be joint action of one of two kinds : either 

 owners and occupiers of the soil must act in concert with manu- 

 facturers and capitalists, or those interested in the land may 

 associate themselves together to undertake the whole venture. 



Any manufacturer and capitalist acting by himself would find 

 some difficulties in his path. 1st. Because he will want some- 

 guarantee that flax will continuously be grown to his hand. 

 2ndly. He Avill require a large supply of water, some of which 

 must be soft water. 3rdly. He will wish for a considerable extent 

 of drying meadows, even if he adopt modern processes. Lastly, 

 he will have to purify his refuse-water before it is returned to 

 our rivers, an obligation which the public will not pass lightly 

 over at the present moment. 



On these grounds it is almost indispensable that the manufac- 

 turer should secure the co-operation of a large landowner, who 

 may provide the site (and buildings), have the control of a supply 

 of water, and provide an outlet for it upon the land, when 

 tainted ; furnish the meadows required, and so regulate the- 

 tenure of the adjacent farms, that the occupiers may be in a 

 position to supply the works with flax. 



So far as mv inquiries have at present extended, I believe that 

 the best specimen of concerted action of this kind will be found 

 at Eye, in Suffolk, on the estate of our President, Sir E. C. 

 Kerrison, who, as we have seen, was among the first promoters 

 of the flax-movement in 1851. 



At that time an association was formed around Eye, in which 

 the late Sir Edward Kerrison, as well as his son, took a leading 

 part, with the special object of giving employment to a redundant 

 population. The clergy, the leading townsmen, and the farmers, 

 around joined in the work, the necessary buildings were erected, 

 and a gradually extending supply of flax was secured. By degrees 

 the management came into the hands of the Messrs. Chase, two 

 of the original associates, who now buy the flax of the growers, 

 and manage the entire industrial enterprise. About a year ago 



