424 Abstract Report of Agricultural Discussions. 



tersWre, I am perfectly satisfied tliis year to pixt a hundred acres into 

 flax, simply for the seed, using the straw for the thatching of sheds 

 and buildings. It will pay me fifty per cent, better than any wheat 

 that I grew either last year or the year before. 



Mr. Hall Dare has placed in my hands a letter which he has received 

 from a gentleman of my own name at Limavady, in the county of 

 Kerry. Ho has become a member of this Society, and seems to take a 

 warm interest in the growth of flax. What he says entirely corroborates 

 my statement — that last year the yield of flax was very short in tho 

 North of Ireland, and the crop inferior, owing to the dry season. He 

 states that the farmers were in many instances without water for 

 steeping a good crop ; and this difficulty must arise, mider tho 

 process they adopt there. If they followed our plan of carrying 

 it over to the next season they would avoid the inconvenience, and 

 have an ample supply of water during the winter and spring months. 

 He speaks of the way in which merchants have been blamed for con- 

 spiring to keep down prices : " Knowing that the farmers had a double 

 quantity in some cases on hand, and that they must sell, I have reason 

 to believe that the buyers in many places, if not the merchants, were 

 not above suspicion." He further states that there is nearly a third 

 less seed sown this year. Now, it is one of the drawbacks to tho 

 growth of flax that they have been growing it in districts where there 

 is not an open market, and that they have been at the mercy of one or 

 two biiyers. The fact is they ought to send their prodiice to Leeds, 

 or some other English market. I, for my part, should not dream of 

 selling my flax in Ireland, unless it be in Belfast. But these men do 

 not know where the great marlicts are. They therefore dispose of 

 their produce in their own localities, and there is no doubt they are 

 excessively robbed. 



The writer of this letter also speaks disparagingly of the quality of 

 the Eiga flax-seed, which he says is worse than it has been for the last 

 ten years. Now, they arc almost mad about this seed in Ireland, 

 and will hardly sow anything else. It is all very well for a change, 

 but I would rather use the seed after it has been grown for two or 

 three years in England. 



I do not know that I have any more hints to throw out; but I 

 shall be happy to answer any questions, as far as I am able.'' 



Professor Voelcker inquired on what ground Mr. Browne rested 

 the assertion, that a deficiency of lime in soils was favourable to the 

 growth of flax ? 



Mr. Beale Browne : Upon the experience of ten years. He was 

 no chemist, but for that period he had found that upon the oolite soils 

 of Gloucestershire he could not grow a good quality of flax ; whereas 

 upon lands in Ireland — in the counties of Tipperary, Limerick, and 

 Kerry — which were wholly deficient in lime, but lay upon the sand- 

 stone, he grew an inferior seed, but a magnificent silky fibre. 



Professor Voelcker said he knew by observation that the soils on 

 the Cotswold Hills contained lime, but at the same time a large pro- 

 portion of clay. They were heavy soils, and he was rather inclined 

 to think that it was the excess of clay, not the presence of lime, which 



