94 STATISTICAL SURVEY 



praftifed in different places, and is not more hazardous 

 than the old way, though fb much quicker. 



Watering the flax is a critical procefs; a day too 

 much rots the rind as well as the pith ; a day too little 

 makes it harfli, but, as that may be corrected by the 

 grafting, it is the fafer fide to err on. When flax is 

 early ripe, in the latter end of July, or beginning of 

 Augufl, or when the weather is warm, it requires a 

 ftiorter time in the water, from fix to nine days; a cer- 

 tain f)gn of its taking with the water is, a frothy fcum 

 arifing to the furface. More time is required in ftag- 

 nant than in running water, which alfo makes it of a 

 fairer colour, but that is a matter of no confequence ; 

 the water of turf-bogs is very favourable, when it has 

 been long expofed to the air. 



Produce Is moftly computed according to the quan- 

 tity of feed fown, not according to the ground ; in the 

 common mode of fowing, a bufhel is ufually given to a 

 rood of ground; from twelve to fifteen flones of fixtcen 

 pounds each is reckoned a good crop, but eighteen and 

 even twenty have been known; this, however, is un- 

 common; we may therefore take fifty ftones to the acre 

 as a fair average; Mr. ChrUty's is forty*eight; this, 

 at 1 1/, 4$d. per flone, is a noble return. By the 

 fame gentleman's ftatement, from two and one-half 

 hogftieads to three of feed may be expected; this, 

 added to the flax, makes it fuperior to any other 

 crop, but then it is attended with a trouble and 



expenfe, 



