THE LETTER OF THE HON. W. R. ROUS. 201 



tical man would have added to the list of expenses (certainly 

 he would not have put down one pound for seed when the real 

 quantity was a barrel containing three bushels and a half, and 

 that cost 45^. ; nor would he have allowed 3s. per stone for 

 scutching, when experienced hands could readily perform the 

 work at *2s. 3d., or even at less per stone) ; of facts, because 

 no mention is made of five stones of tow, of several bushels of 

 seed and chaff threshed from the stalks, nor of the after-crop of 

 turnips, which, being grown in the same year, ought to have 

 been added to the account, as the rent, rates, and tithes are 

 now all charged to the flax-crop ; of rhetoric, because Mr. 

 Rous's first-rate flax-soil has not produced so profitable a crop 

 as many soils of a quality far inferior, yet better adapted to 

 the growth of first-rate flax. Nor is 9s. per stone by any 

 means "the highest price that can be obtained for superior 

 fibre." Mr. Demann, the Belgian, who prepared Mr. Rous's 

 flax, grew some himself at North Walsham, by way of experi- 

 ment, which he estimates at twenty shillings per stone. In 

 truth, flax varies from even below five to twenty-five shillings 

 per stone. Again, that "land in general would require an 

 outlay of three pounds per acre in manure " is contrary to the 

 experience of every grower. Were so much applied, it would 

 in most cases greatly injure, if not entirely destroy the crop. 

 That " land in general " should require four times more 

 manure than Mr. Rous's, is an assumption that agriculturists 

 " in general " will regard as a flash of rhetoric, rather than as 

 a matter of fact. Experience has shown, that to grow flax to 

 perfection land should be in so fine a state as to require no 

 manure at all. I could annex much information on this point 

 from authentic documents, wherein it would appear that most 

 of our flax was grown last year without the direct application 

 of manure. I select one : 



" Ormesby, 3\st October, 1843. 



"DEAR SlR, 



My flax was drilled on the 24th of March, on a 

 wheat stubble without manure. My intention was to grow it 

 for the seed, till you advised me to get the fibre also, for which 



