210 THE AUTHOR REFUTES 



rejoice, not because of a paltry triumph over an unprincipled 

 opposition, but because of the benefits which the British farmer 

 and the British labourer will derive through the circulation of 

 those immense sums now sent to foreign countries for flax, lin- 

 seed, oil, and cake. 



From reports laid before the Board of Agriculture many 

 years since, and other documents on the cultivation of flax, in- 

 trusted to me by Lord Hastings, I perceive that half a guinea 

 per bushel was a common price for sowing seed, and not unfre- 

 quently 14s. Extracts from those writings in the form of a 

 pamphlet will shortly be published, at his Lordship's desire, for 

 general circulation, when some remarkable facts, confirmatory 

 of my oft-repeated statements relative to the value, utility, 

 and advantages of the flax-crop will appear. 



Mr. Grower observes, "It is but just to state that the 

 crop of 1843 was cultivated under Mr. Warnes's almost daily 

 direction." 



This I utterly deny. Trimingham is distant about twelve 

 miles from Dilham a place that I have scarcely seen half a 

 dozen times during the past fifteen years. Mr. Gower adds, 

 " he sent the seed, the man, and drill ; it stood until Mr. W. 

 said it was ' nice and brown ;' then it was spread on the land, 

 and afterwards turned with a long stick ; and ultimately, when 

 it had been exposed to the sun and weather as long as he di- 

 rected, it was stacked; but not till it had been so injured by 

 such treatment that it was worth little or nothing." I certainly 

 had the pleasure of sending a man, drill, and seed to several 

 persons in the neighbourhood of Dilham, who were anxious to 

 try the experiment. To all I afforded the best information in 

 my power; nor am I aware that any of their crops were 

 injured through my interference ; certainly not Mr. Gower's. 

 But I can confidently aver, that after the seed had been 

 threshed, the stalks were stacked, and so improperly thatched, 

 that the rain penetrated the sheaves in every direction, and 

 rotted many ; they were then sent to North Walsham to be 

 prepared. I refer to Mr. Demann. 



How astonishing that Mr. Gower should have been so ill 

 advised as to rest his attempted refutation of No. 9 upon ma- 

 terials so unsound ! I say attempted, because in no respect 



