428 Abstract Report of Agricultural Discussions. 



thus one of the most valuable means of restoring the fertilizing pro- 

 perties of the soil was utterly lost. 



Mr. J. G. Marshall, of Leeds, was extremely glad to hear from 

 Mr. Beale Browne his opinion from experience that flax could be 

 grown as a profitable crop. His owai experience, both as a consumer 

 of flax imported from various coimtries, and as being concerned in 

 the growth of flax in the north-eastern part of England, led him to 

 conclude that there was no country better adapted than this to the 

 growth of flax. With respect to the influence of climate, his im- 

 l)ression was that the climate of Flanders was suited to the produc- 

 tion of the finest descrijitions of flax, and it was from there he got 

 the finest descriptions. Its climate was di'ier than that of England ; 

 and this exposed it to the inconvenience of frequent hisses arising 

 from the long continuance of dry weather in tlic spring. That 

 was the case at the present moment in both Holland and Belgimn. 

 Ireland had a very moist climate, and produced flax abundantly; 

 but it was not so fine as the Belgian flax. English flax seemed to 

 occupy a middle position between the two. It was not so fine as 

 the Belgian, but superior in quality to the Irish ; and, taking the 

 two circumstances of quality and quantity of produce into account, 

 he should say there was no country better, or, perhaps, so well 

 adapted for the growth of flax as England. Again, flax could be 

 produced in this country close to the best markets, with the best 

 means of communication, with all the advantages of a ready appli- 

 cation of capital and skill to the improvement of the processes of 

 the manufacture, and there appeared to be no reason why the culture 

 of flax should not be carried much farther. It appears to have gone 

 quite out of cultivation of late years. It used to be grown amongst 

 us by the small farmers ; but when the large-farm system came into 

 general adoption it fell ofi", and perhaf)s it would now be impossible 

 to introduce it extensively upon the same plan as in Ireland, where 

 it was carried on individually by the small farmers. English 

 farmers would not probably give that time and attention by which 

 alone the requisite skill can be attained. We had therefore to fall 

 back upon the flax-rettery system. The whole operation of steei)ing 

 and cleaning the fibre was perfonned in the rettery. Although 

 some trials of that sort had not been successful in England, others 

 were now progressing satisfactorily, and he saw no reason why the 

 system should not be largely extended. Judging from experience, 

 if we could produce and bring to market a fair crop of flax-straw, at 

 about 10/. or 127. an acre, he thought a flax-rettery would be a good 

 imdertaking. An intermediate agency had been introduced in a 

 part of Yorkshire, where the small flax-merchant would pm-chase 

 30 or 40 acres of flax, and apply the labour of his family to it in 

 the winter ; and that in some districts would be practicable and 

 profitable. Considering what had been said with regard to the very 

 great variations in the value of flax, owing to the mode of handling it, 

 he thought they might fairly hope that some improvement applicable 

 to the treatment of flax, analogous to that which had been effected by 

 the cotton-gin in that manufactiu-e, might be adopted, so as at once to 



