226 THE AUTHOR CRITICISES THE STATEMENTS 



to 8/. 5s., or 40 stone of flax included, at 5s. per stone, to 

 18/. 5s. per acre, independent of the chaff, tow, and broken 

 stalks, which may be set against the straw of other crops. 



How strange the anomaly that involves this perplexing 

 question, " How is a man to grow linseed without flax ?" and 

 Mr. Gower's assertion, that " If a man tried to grow both at 

 one time, he would fail in both !" To solve these problems is 

 beyond my power. But I have authority from Mr. Robert 

 Atkinson, of Walcot, to state, that he grew last year, upon an 

 acre of land, instead of turnips, and without manure, 6 coombs 

 3 bushels of linseed, and 2 tons 6 cwt. of coarse and fine flax- 

 stalks. The seed he disposed of at 6s. 6d. per bushel, and the 

 stalks at 2/. per ton, amounting altogether to 13Z. 7s. 6^., 

 exclusive of chaif. 



It appears that one ton of stalks, after being steeped and 

 prepared for scutching, will be reduced to nearly half its 

 original weight ; from which half, about one-fourth only of 

 marketable flax is generally obtained : so that Mr. Atkinson's 

 crop will yield 46 stone of flax, independent of tow, &c., and 

 realize, at 5.5-. per stone, and at 6s. 6d. per bushel for the seed, 

 20/. 55. per acre. This crop is now being worked out upon 

 Mr. Brown's premises at Trimingham, at Is. 9c?. per stone for 

 scutching, and 3d. per stone for breaking ; affording 8s. per day 

 to four men, Is. 9c?. to two women, and Is. to two girls. My 

 father had six pecks of linseed sown upon a little less than an 

 acre of land, from which he obtained 4 coombs 2 bushels of 

 excellent seed, 37 stone 7 Ibs. of fine and coarse flax, 16 stone 

 13 Ibs. of tow, about 12 sacks of chaff, and 119 stone of broken 

 stalks, the whole of which is estimated at 18/. 5s. The seed 

 and chaff were consumed upon the farm, but the flax, tow, &c. 

 remain for the inspection of any party who may feel disposed 

 to make further inquiry. 



Mr. Demann, of North Walsham, the Belgian flax factor, 

 gives from 20d. to 2s. per stone for scutching, and Mr. Brown 

 pays 2s.; of which circumstances, I am credibly assured, 

 Mr. Gower was not ignorant. Justice, therefore, required 

 that he should have qualified the statements of his own ex- 

 perience by a candid relation of his neighbours' also, and not 



