1864. | Agriculture. 313 
had largely increased in productiveness, and a much larger quantity 
of meat is now made per acre than formerly. And this was found to 
contrast most glaringly with the condition of the dairy districts of the 
same county which do not now keep more stock, or yield more cheese, 
and butter, and bacon, than they used to do thirty years ago. 
Another fact of some interest under this head, is the extension of 
the growth of flax during the past year. In Ireland, the following has 
been the acreage of this crop during some past years :— 
1860. | 1861. | 1862, 1863. 
Acres of Flax . 128,444 | 147,866 | 150,312 213,992 
The promotion of flax culture in England is creating a good deal 
of attention. And in many country towns, meetings have been held 
for the establishment of flax retteries, which, as offering a market for 
the produce, is necessary as a first step towards the extension of flax 
cultivation. 
The subject of plant improvement, and especially that of our 
cereals, has been a good deal under discussion in our agricultural 
journals, Mr. Shirreff, of Haddington, to whom we owe many of our 
best sorts of wheat and oats, seems to consider that the work of plant 
improvement is exclusively natural, and that all that we can do is, in 
effect, to keep a sharp look-out, and whenever we see in any natural 
sort or variety the qualities we want, take care of the plant, and 
multiply it as fast as we can. 
Mr. Hallett, of Brighton, on the other hand, who advertises at such 
enormous prices what he calls a “a pedigree” wheat, believes in the 
power of improving a plant by cultivation. He chooses a promising 
ear of Wheat—plants takes that plant of the series 
which is best—chooses its best ear—again plants all cts seeds—again 
chooses the best plant, best ear, 
harvests thus obtained, during which, as he alleges, the plants and 
ears have annually improved upon his hands, he takes the ultimate 
produce as the parents of the grain which he shall offer for sale, and 
multiplies it by thin seeding and careful cultivation as fast as he can 
—and so by-and-by the ‘‘ Z family,” or some other of long lineage, is 
offered to the “ faithful,’ for they alone will venture its price, at per- 
haps one or two guineas a bushel! 
There is probably less difference between these gentlemen than they 
admit. Both select the best natural origin they can find—both are 
confident that the progeny will be like the parent—both believe in the 
fixity of character of the resultant grain; the one, however, thinking 
that the character is fixed in the origin, and the other, that it is fixed 
in the successive annual growths of ‘the sort in question. 
Neither will deny the “immense folly of carelessness in the selection 
of our seed—and both may well wonder at farmers who when they 
want a good Cabbage, Mangold, or Turnip, take care to choose a good 
