VALUE OF FLAX. 343 



near Antwerp, a large establishment for the preparation of flax, such 

 as, if formed in every county of England, would at once ensure to the 

 growers a ready market for their crops. Also, it ought to be remem- 

 bered, that the above gentlemen were the earliest instigators to perse- 

 verance in our present undertakings, holding themselves in readiness 

 to assist as circumstances may require. Other eminent spinners and 

 flax-agents in London, Liverpool, Belfast, &c., are watching our move- 

 ments with a view to further our cause. 



Mr. Demann, from Belgium, is extensively engaged in purchasing 

 flax, and in preparing it with Belgian and English hands, at North 

 Walsham. Through this means many youths have been, and are still- 

 being taught the art of hand -scutching. Mr. Brown, of Trimingham, 

 and Mr. Harlee Playford, of North Repps, purchased several acres, and 

 rivalled the Belgians themselves in the various arts of preparation. Mr. 

 Farrow also, in conjunction with the Ipswich Branch, is working out 

 a few acres by way of experiment, whose flax, under the superior hand- 

 ling of Monsieur Francis, merits the highest commendation. 



% 



Value of the Fibre. 



Your Committee regret that they cannot at present offer any defi- 

 nite accounts of net profit upon this part of the crop, except that pub- 

 lished by the Hon. W. R. Rous, who obtained a profit of 91. 4s. clear 

 of all expenses from an acre of land, exclusive of the seed. Mr. De- 

 mann avoids all disclosures of profit, and the gentlemen above referred 

 to have as yet effected no sales of importance. But the statements re- 

 lative to the flax crops in general may be considered highly satisfactory. 

 Mr. Warnes has sold no flax at a less rate than 44/. per ton. At this 

 price he has enabled certain twine-spinners, in the neighbourhood of 

 Cromer and Lowestoft, to compete successfully with foreign hemp for 

 the manufacture of fishing-nets. In one particular instance, a sinking 

 trade has not only been revived, but enlarged beyond its original ex- 

 tent, on account of the superiority of the flax twine, samples of which, 

 with others of hemp, are now submitted to public inspection. Many 

 thousand tons of hemp are annually consumed upon the coast, which, 

 if superseded by native flax, a door would be opened to a new and lu- 

 crative branch of business. Mr. Warnes is sanguine upon this point, 

 because he considers that an acre of good land will produce fifty stone 

 of this description of flax upon the average of years, and twenty-two 

 bushels of linseed ; realizing, at 5s. 6d. per stone for the flax, and 6s. 3d. 

 per bushel for the seed, 201., or, after deducting all expenses, from 11. 

 to 10/. 



Mr. Barcham, of Antingham, had two tons fifteen cwt. of stalks, and 

 twenty-two bushels of fine sowing seed, from an acre of land. The 



