8 INTRODUCTORY REMARKS 



It is by many considered an exhausting and unprofitable 

 crop ; the former is a mere idle notion ; experience will teach 

 that it meliorates rather than exhausts the soil ; (and it may not 

 be out of place here to mention that this season, after a crop 

 of flax, IA. OR. IP. planted mangold-wurzel, produced, clean 

 and free from tops, 43 tons 15 cwt. ;) with regard to the latter, 

 I shall refer you to the following statement : 



(Growth of 1845 on 4A. IE. 24p.) s. d. 



1349 Ibs. of flax sold in Leeds for (after deducting all expenses) 25 10 6 



106 Ibs. of ditto sold in Ensham 2 13 



372 Ibs. of tow, ditto 4 13 



104 bushels of linseed, at 7s. Gd. per bushel . 39 



Small quantity of tail linseed, chaff, and refuse from scutching . 1 10 



73 6 6 



EXPENSES. S. d. 



Ploughing 4A. IR. 24p. at 10s 240 



1 Oi bushels of linseed, at 7s. 6d 3 18 9 



Sowing and harrowing ditto . . . . . 10 



Weeding 120 



Pulling and tying up the stalks, threshing, spreading, 



and turning, preparing for scutching, 30s. per acre 612 



Expenses of carting, stacking in barn, &c. . . 1 15 



Rent and taxes, 50s. per acre 1100 



Scutching 1455 Ibs. of flax, at 2J. per Ib. . 12 2 6 



Ditto 372 Ibs. tow, at Id. per Ib 1 11 



40 15 3 



32 11 3 



It will be seen from the above statement that the cost of 

 preparing the fibre for market is very great in comparison to 

 its value, and I was induced from this serious item in expenses 

 to write to Mr. Warnes, of Trimingham, Norfolk (to whom I 

 am indebted for much useful information on the subject), in 

 answer to which he says, " the cost of dressing your flax is 

 excessive, the quantity of tow and consequent waste immense.*' 

 I think, therefore, under these circumstances, and with the 

 above result, the cultivation of flax is deserving of some consi- 

 deration. 



My only object in troubling you with this subject is the 

 improvement of agriculture. 



I remain, Sir, yours very respectfully, 

 Ensham, Jan. 27, 1847. SAMUEL DRUCE, Jun 



