190 AMERICAN AGRICULTURE. 



ceding crop. A rich sod which has long lain in pasture or 

 meadow, well plowed and rotted, is the best for it. Lime in 

 small quantities, may be incorporated with the soil, but the 

 Flemings who raise flax extensively, never allow it to follow 

 a heavy liming till seven years intervene, as they consider 

 it injures the fibre. A good wheat, is generally a good flax 

 soil. Salt, ashes and gypsum are proper manures for it. 

 The last has the greatest effect, if applied after the plant is 

 developed and while covered with dew or moisture. All 

 the saline manures used as a top-dressing, benefit the plant 

 and check the ravages of worms, which frequently attack 

 the young plants. 



Cultivation. On a finely-prepared surface, either of fresh 

 sod or after corn or roots, which have been well manured 

 and kept clear of weeds, sow broadcast, from sixteen to thirty 

 quarts per acre, if wanted for seed, or two bushels, if wanted 

 for the fibre. When thin, it branches very much, and every 

 sucker or offshoot is terminated by a boll well loaded with 

 seed. When thickly sown, the stem grows single, and with- 

 out branches, and gives a long, fine fibre. If the soil be 

 very rich, and fibre is the object of cultivation, it may be 

 sown at the rate of three bushels per acre. There is a 

 great difference in seed; the heaviest is the best, and it 

 should be of a bright brownish cast and oily to the touch. 

 It must be lightly harrowed or brushed in and rolled. 

 When three or four inches high, it may be carefully weeded 

 by hand, and for this, it is best to employ children ; or if 

 adults are put on the field, they should be barefoot. Any de- 

 pression of the plants by the feet will soon be recovered by 

 the subsequent growth, which, on good soil, will be sufficient- 

 ly rapid to prevent the weeds again interfering with it. 

 Grass seed or clover may be sown with flax without any 

 detriment to it, but the flax ought to be too thick on the 

 field to allow them to grow well ; and in pulling the flax, 

 they will be very likely to be uprooted. 



Harvesting. When designed for cambrics and the 

 finest linen, flax is pulled in flower ; but in this country it 

 is seldom harvested for the fibre till the seed is entirely 

 formed, and although not ripe, most of it will mature on the 

 stalk without any prejudice to the fibre. If required for 

 seed, it must be left standing till the first seeds are well 

 ripened. It is then gathered and bound in small bundles, 

 and when properly dried, is placed under cover. If it falls 



