206 FLAX CULTURE AT WORSTEAD. 



A correct account of the actual cost of an Acre of Flax, grown for fibre 



principally, on very good land, at Worstead, in the year 1845, and of the 

 produce : 



s. d. 



Rent, tithe, and rates 290 



Three ploughings, harrowings, and sowings 120 



3 bushels of seed of superior quality, bought of Mr. T. Cubitt, 



Witton . 1 10 7i 



30 barrels liquid manure 076 



Pulling 1 1 



Rippling, &c., sorting, and tying 136 



Carting to steeping-place 040 



Carting hurdles, wood, &c., to sink the flax 050 



Putting flax into steep, taking it out, untying, spreading, turning, 



and re-tying 120 



Carting flax into barn 040 



Fetching scutching-machine nine miles 060 



Hire of 2 horses of Mr. Lacey, Tunstead, two weeks . . .300 



Food ditto, at lls. per week each horse 240 



Three men and one lad breaking flax, scutching ditto with ma- 

 chine, and one boy driving the horses twelve days . . . 5156 



Bags for packing flax in 076 



Carriage and freight of flax to Leeds, commission on sale of 



ditto, &c. 1116 



22 13 

 8 load manure for turnips, &c., grown after the flax . . .20 



24 13 



PRODUCE. 



50 st. fine flax, sold on the average at 8s. 9d. per stone . . 21 17 6 



6 st. tow, at 2s. per stone 0130 



3 cwt. refuse, at 5s. per cwt. . . . . . . .0150 

 3 bushels unripe seed (consumed) 15 



24 6 

 Turnips as spring feed .200 



26 6 

 Deduct expenditure 24 1 3 1 



Remaining . . 1 6 4 



This statement is given as showing the value of an acre of flax in a favour- 

 able season, when proper care has been taken in the cultivation of the plant 

 and in the management of it during the steeping process. The expense of 

 scutching has been extraordinarily high, owing to the necessity of being 



