22 



On the subject of flax cultivation, Mr. Young .says : 



" Every effort possible will be made to enlarge the area of flax in Ireland 

 during the next few years. The farmers of Ireland are slow, however, in 

 changing their habits, and scarcely yet aware of the enormous increase of de- 

 mand. This town of Belfast has risen to its present wealth and beauty mainly 

 by its linen trade. Orders are still flowing in to the manufacturers, but their 

 ability to meet the demand is held in check by the small quantity of flax pro- 

 duced. The machinery is here, the active capital ready, the demand great, but 

 flax enough is not grown, either in Ireland or elsewhere. Why should not the 

 farmers of the TJaited States step into the opening and raise flax for export to 

 this country V 



In answer to this inquirj^ it may be said that here the agricultural labor of 

 the country is now taxed to its utmost. Emigrants, accustomed to raising- 

 flax, could find any demand for their labor here, as also laborers in any 

 branch of agriculture, or in any department of industry. The demand for flax 

 is also great here, and an enterprise is now on foot to add a hundred thousand 

 acres to its production next year. We had the pleasure of meeting Isaac A. 

 Hedges (so well known for his energy in fostering the production of soi-ghum 

 molasses and sugar) in this city last week, and from him we learn that capi- 

 talists at Cliicago are about to devise some efficient plan to add such increase 

 to the flax production in northern Illinois. Aware of the scarcity of labor, 

 and that the farmer will not grow flax if required to do all the labor connected 

 with the production of flax in bales, they will only require of him to sow it on 

 fields well ploughed, harrowed, and rolled, and to cut it with the reaper and put 

 it up in sheaves. The company will come with thrashers and clean the seed. 

 They will require enough ground on the farm necessary lo spread out their 

 flax for rotting. They will also water-rot it when soft water can be had. 

 They will, with their own machinery, break, clean, and bale the flax. Mr. 

 Hedges, as their active agent, is now visiting the eastern States to examine all 

 recent improvements in these various processes, with a view of profiting by 

 them in this important enterprise. Mr. Young may see his inquiry answered 

 by bales of flax in Belfast from America. 



WEIGHTS AND MEASURES 



The following letter has been received by the Commissioner of Agriculture, 

 from, evidently, an intelligent gentleman. We always desire a correction of 

 errors into which we may fall, for, forced by the necessities of a monthly report 

 to write hastily, and with no statistics which this division demands, and, from 

 its recent establishment, without that time necessary to settle perplexed ques- 

 tions, we know that errors will be made, and to correct them will give more 

 satisfaction than chagrin. Our comments will follow. 



" Charles City, Iowa, December 11, 1863. 



"Dear Sir : Will you allow me a word with regard to the subject of English 

 grain measures, and the remarks thereupon, in the October report ? 



" I will not consume your time in endeavoring to expose the fallacy, as it appears 

 to me, of the reasoning by which it is attempted to prove that the imperial 

 bushel must be rated at ten pounds higher than the Winchester, even Avhen the 

 latter is rated correctly, but will simply mention one fact to show that the differ- 

 ence of ten pounds, as first obtained, is an error. As is remarked, the Win- 

 chester bushel contains, in theory, 64 pounds troy, equal, according to the report, 

 to 48 pounds avoirdupois. This is a mistake, and arises from assuming that 

 the avoirdupois ounce is equal to the ounce troy. But the latter is heavier than 

 the former. If we reduce 64 pounds troy to grains, (64 X 5,760.) and divide by 

 7,000, the correct result is reached, viz: 52.66+ pounds. If, then, we call the 



