DESTRUCTION OF SEED. 309 



market, while the seed,, chaff, and broken stalks are appro- 

 priated to the fattening of cattle and to the making of manure. 

 No objection, therefore, can now be urged on account of 

 exhausting effects. The prohibitory clauses in old leases arose 

 from the disregard paid to the preservation of the seed, or 

 from selling the entire crop to factors called linmen. The 

 greater portion of linseed in Ireland, even at the present day, 

 is destroyed, and the same ruinous custom still exists in Eng- 

 land, as the subjoined extract from a letter before me proves : 



" Willoughton Grange. 



* * * * "I rode twenty miles to the warp lands 

 on the side of the river Trent, to learn some particulars about the 

 general process flax has to go through; and saw a field of 12 acres 

 covered with the stalks just taken out of steep and the seed adhering 

 to them : the owner of which showed me the various stages they have 

 to go through. He stated that they always got their best crops of 

 wheat after flax, and said that he would buy all the flax that I could 

 grow." 



I desire to draw particular attention to this point, because 

 so much is said about the exhausting effects of flax beyond 

 other crops; which, although ill-grounded, operates against 

 the cause ; and I think that I cannot more effectually enforce 

 this part of my argument than by inserting a letter on the 

 subject just forwarded to the 'Morning Herald' and other 

 journals. 



Ten Facts connected with the Flax Crop. 



SIR, 



1st. Under the improved system of husbandry, flax 

 is not exhausting, but a highly restorative crop. 



2nd. If sown primarily for the seed, the value of the crop 

 is equal to the average value of wheat, barley, and oats. 



3rd. Under experienced management in every department, 

 the crop is worth more than wheat. 



4th. Flax will grow upon any soils that products corn, and 

 upon soils where corn will not grow at all. 



5th. The plant will flourish after any crop, turnips excepted, 

 and probably carrots or mangel-wurzel. 



6th. Flax has been grown upon my farm during the past 



