MISCELLANEOUS CROPS 121 



fiber is taken. Flax is raised also for the seed or grain 

 from which oil is made. After the oil has been removed, 

 the remaining part of the grain is used to feed stock. The 

 oil is called linseed oil and is used extensively in mixing paints. 



Soil. — Flax grows best on a comparatively light soil. 

 Sandy loams are better than clay. It grows better than 

 -any other crop on tough sods. For that reason it is often 

 the first crop on newly cultivated land. 



Preparation and Planting. — On old land, deep plowing 

 and thorough packing of seed bed are necessary. Sod land 

 is usually plowed in the fall or early spring. The plow is 

 run just deep enough to turn the sod over. It may then 

 be disked and packed by a roller. The seed is usually sown 

 with a grain drill from one to two inches deep. If flax is 

 raised for fiber, it is seeded thickly, as this method pro- 

 duces longer stems with fewer branches and less seed. About 

 two bushels to an acre is the average rate of seeding for 

 fiber. If flax is raised for seed, it is thinly sown so that the 

 plants may branch freely, thus producing more seed. From 

 two to three pecks to an acre is the average rate to produce 

 seed. It may be sown as soon as danger of frost is over, 

 usually about the middle of May, and is harvested about 

 the first of September. 



Harvesting. — Seed flax is cut with a grain binder, or 

 with a reaper, and threshed much the same as wheat. Fiber 

 flax is usually pulled by hand, tied into small bundles, and 

 put into shocks to cure. Two or three weeks later the seeds 

 are rubbed out, also by hand. The straw is then spread out 

 thinly on the ground and left to weather for three or four 

 weeks. This process is known as retting. The straw is 

 then pounded or bent to separate the fiber. The fiber 

 is then ready for the manufacturer. 



Hemp. — Hemp is an annual plant, and grows from 

 eight to twelve feet high. 



Soil. — Rich land well fertilized gives the best results. 



Culture. — About five pecks of seed to the acre are sown 

 either broadcast or with a grain drill. It usually grows 

 rapidly, and is ready to harvest when the seeds ripen, 

 which is usually about three and a half months from plant- 

 ing time. It is cut with a mower or a corn knife and al- 



