270 AGRICULTURAL TEXT-BOOK. 



596. The use of teasels has been, to a considerable extent, 

 superseded in the United States, within a few years, by the in 

 troduction of machinery to produce the same effect. (Allen.) 



597. To procure seed, it is only necessary to leave a few of 

 the strongest plants, till they are quite ripe, dry them well, aucl 

 thrash with a flail. 



598. FLAX (Linumusitatlssimwn) is a native of Europe but 

 has long been cultivated in this country. There aietwo indigen 

 ous species in the Northern United States, (L. Virginianum, 

 and rigidum,) of no economical value. Two species or varie 

 ties are cultivated, the common, and one with a yellowish seed, 

 lately introduced into Ohio, which is said to yield a larger crop, 

 and to be in many respects superior. We have seen the seed, 

 but not the plant. 



599. The census returns of flax are stated to be incorrect, and not to 

 be depended on ; but there is reason to believe that its cultivation is 

 rather decreasing tban otherwise, in consequence of the difficulty of 

 preparing the fibre for market ; and the seed alone not proving suffi 

 ciently remunerative. 



600. Inorganic analysis of the entire plant of the flax grown 

 in Ireland* (Sir R. Kane.) 



Potash, 11.78 



Sorta, 1182 



Lime, - - 14.85 



Magnesia, 9.38 



Alumina and oxide of iron, - 7.3Q 



Phosphoric icid, - - - 1305 



Sulphuric acid, 3.19 



Chlorine, 2 90 



Silica, - 2571 



Percentage of ash, dry, 500 



601. Inorganic analysis of Linseed. (Johnston.) 



Risrn. Dutch. 



Potash, - - 25.85 17.59 30.01 



Soda, 0.71 6.92 1.88 



Lime, - 25.27 6.46 8.12 



