$29 
Ireland, whilst seed from a drier region is better suited to the damp 
climate of the north of Ireland.” 
In addition to the article in question, elaborate cultural’ details 
are to be found in the “Journal of the Royal Agricultural Society,” 
2nd series, vol. i, (1865), pp. 181-204, in articles by the Rev. 
Nathaniel M. Brown, Mr. P. H. Frere an . H. Wells; in 
“ British Manufacturing Industries” (1876), pp. 52-63, and pp. 
64-108, on the manufacture of linen, both articles by Mr. W. T. 
Charley ; and in “Spon’s Encyclopaedia of the Industrial Arts,” 
pp. 964-978. From these articles the following cultural instructions 
are taken. 
It is a well known fact that flax may only be grown successfully 
on a long rotation system, for although it rarely occupies the ground 
for more than 13 weeks, it extracts a considerable amount of food 
material from the soil. It is equally clear that the best results can 
only be procured when the seed is sown on land free from coarse 
weed seeds. Therefore, the same plot of land is only cropped with 
flax at intervals of from 7 to 10 years and crops immediately 
preceding flax are selected to a certain extent by reason of their 
ground-cleaning qualities. Wheat or oats, preferably the latter, are 
often chosen. eep autumn ploughing is usually recommende 
both on heavy and light land, to be followed in the former case by 
a second ploughing in spring. When light land is ploughed a 
second time, it is stated that it should not be turned up more than 
4 inches in depth in order that the bottom may remain firm. The 
land must subsequently be well harrowed in order to provide a fine 
and even surface and is then sometimes lightly rolled. Farmyard 
manure is not given immediately before a flax crop on account of 
its liability to lie in patches and thereby encourage unequal growth, 
but chemical manures may be applied either with the autumn 
ploughing or with the spring working of the ground. 
weed the ground. The work-people require to exercise great care 
in order to cause as little injury as possible to the flax, and for this 
reason, they work against the wind in order that. the wind may 
assist the bent over plants to resume their erect habit. 
When the crop is grown solely for fibre, harvesting is commenced 
as soon as the lower parts of the stems assume a yellowish hue but 
if seed is required, harvesting is not commenced until the seed is 
mature. In the former case the fibre is of superior quality. Har- 
vesting is carried on by pulling the plants up, instead of mowing 
