306 THE BOOK OF USEFUL PLANTS 



The Dakota farmer may sell his flax straw as it 

 comes, broken and tangled, out of the thresher, to 

 the tow mill, where it is made into stuffing for 

 cheap mattresses, upholstered furniture, padding 

 for refrigerator cars and cold storage warehouses, 

 ice boxes and the like, or spun into binding twine. 

 .The highest grades of linen made in America at a 

 profit are coarse crash towelling, carpet yarns, 

 and fish seines. 



THE GROWING OF FLAX 



Homespun linen clothed our ancestors until 

 they could no longer afford to keep the industry 

 going. Labor is high-priced, so Americans buy 

 their linens abroad, where labor is still cheap. 

 The improvement of machinery to handle flax 

 may soon make it a profitable industry in this 

 country. Students of the problem believe the 

 time is coming when we shall make our own 

 table linens. 



The growing of flax is an exacting business. 

 The best soil is a heavy, rich, well-drained loam 

 that has borne crops that require clean culture. 

 This means that the weeds are under control. 

 On this soil, finely mellowed, and lightly rolled, 

 the seed is sown broadcast, by hand, and har- 



