[' Flax Culture. 421 



only the members of the Eoyal Agricultural Society, but the whole 

 agricultiu'al world, must derive great benefit from the services rendered 

 by Dr. Voelcker, in whom were so singularly united all the qualities 

 required for scientific investigation. 



Meeting of Weekli/ Council, May 11th. Sir Edward Keerison, Bart., 

 M.P., President, in the Chair. Mr. Beale Browne introduced the 

 subject of 



Flax Culture. 



Mr. Browne said : This is a small congregation to preach to ; but I 

 believe the remarks which are made here go forth to find a largo 

 circulation in the agricultural world. I shall endeavour to treat this 

 subject, not scientifically, but in a j)iu-ely practical and, I trust, 

 j3opular manner. I propose then first, to show the nature of soils 

 suited for flax, and next to make some observations upon the seed 

 of flax, its growth and manipulation. 



My experience of flax, which now extends over a good many years, 

 has satisfied me that land which is deficient in lime is far better 

 ada2)ted to its cultivation for the fibre than land that is rich in lime. 

 For example, on the Cotswold Hills, Vv'here we are on a limestone — the 

 oolite — we grow magnificent seed, but a very inferior fibre ; and you 

 will invariably find that v\^here you grow the best fibre you grow the 

 worst seed. I have grown three-quarters of flax-seed to the English 

 acre in Gloucestershire, and a very, very fine seed it was — but such a 

 crop, however, cannot be safely reckoned on by any man. In Ireland, 

 on the other hand, my produce has never exceeded 12 bushels, and the 

 seed has not been nearly so good. In Gloucestershire, again, the 

 straw is almost like a stick, whilst in Ireland the stalk is pliant, 

 and the fibre is of a beautifully silky nature, and is quite delightful 

 to handle. We have in Ireland, especially in the south and west, a 

 great deal of land that is deficient in lime ; in fact, we can do but 

 little with it until it has been limed. Flax therefore offers special 

 advantages in that part of the kingdom, because you can thus j)roduco 

 a profitable croiJ, or even two in succession, ui^on land that would 

 produce nothing else. In addressing a large meeting lately held at 

 Tralee I dwelt u2)on this point, referring to the beautiful crop produced 

 last year on such lands, and to the equally fine prospect for the 

 present year. I limed the land in question after taking oft* the flax, 

 and it will now be ready for nearly any crop. The soil is alluvial, and 

 nearly barren, so that when we have cut off the grass and ploughed, 

 we are not troubled with weeds ; therefore its management is wholly 

 different from that of ordinary lands. 



On lands that have been in cultivation I have generally found that 

 flax does better after wheat than any other crop. Besides ploughing 

 in autumn, we just move an inch or two of the surface by means of a 

 skim-plough previous to sowing the seed; and when that has been 

 done I have never experienced any trouble whatever in weeding the 

 crop, which grows so rapidly that it completely overcomes the weedfi. 



