i^2 IfcMCULTrRAL ESSAYS. 



parts of our country, is to bind it up in small sheaves, laid 

 length ways across tlie stream, and sunk completely under ; 

 about five days are generally requisite for this purpose. When 

 Rufficiently rotted in this way, a small handful may be pulled 

 asunder with a little exertion ; and then should be taken out 

 very carefully, so as not to injure the coat, and dried. The 

 water in which it is rotted, should not run rapidly, as such will 

 wash away the coat. If rotted in standing water, it should be 

 turned once while it is rotting. It is essential that flax should 

 have a proper degree of rotting. If rotted too much, its 

 strength is impaired for present use, and it wastes more in 

 cleaning ; and if rotted too little, a great addition of labor is re- 

 quisite in fitting it for use. That which is coarse will rot 

 quicker than that which is fine ; it would therefore be better, 

 when practicable, that these should be kept separate while 

 rotting, in order that the latter may have longer thne for this 

 purpose. 



The short ana the long should also be sorted, as it is incon- 

 venient to have them mixed in dressing. It is of importance 

 that the seed should be sown as evenly as possible, and to 

 effect this, it is best to sow one half of the seed over the whole 

 ground, and then the other half cross wise, and sown when 

 there is no air in motion. 



Salt is said to be one of the most valuable manures for flax. 

 In one experiment by Richard Peters, Esq. of Philadelphia, it 

 appears that, by sowing about twice the quantity of foul salt to 

 that of flax seed, he had from three acres, fifty bushels of ex- 

 cellent seed, and a great crop of flax. From extensive exper- 

 iments of this kind of manure, it is well ascertained that salt, 

 as a manure for flax, should be applied, when it can be procur- 

 ed at any reasonable expsnsc. 



It is attested by some respectable farmers, that they have 

 always succeeded in raising a crop of flax, by soaking the seed 

 about half an hour if^ weak lye, or in strong lye diluted with 

 six times as much water, and just as the seed is coming up, to 

 sow on it two or three bushels of strong ashes per acre ; and 

 that if it is taken wet from the lye and rolled in plaster, it is 

 better. 



No crop is thought to be better than potatoes to precede 9, 

 crop of flax. 



Notwithstanding the weight of authorities to the contrary, 

 many farmers are of the opinion that flax is better if pulled a 

 little before the seed is ripe ; they say the seed will ripen, in 

 the swarth, if it is plump and full grown before the flax i§. 

 pulled • 



