USES OF FLAXSEED 



235 



in tanks or cylinders and treated with naphtha to extract the 

 oil. This oil is then used in the manufacture of paints, 

 varnishes, oilcloth or hnoleum (in combination with ground 

 cork), and various other articles. The meal from which the 

 oil has been extracted is used for feeding to stock, either as 

 it comes from the presses as oilcake, or crushed or ground 



Figures?. — A linseed oil mill, with steel tanks at the right for storing the flaxseed. 



into the form known as oilmeal or Unseed meal. Oilmeal is 

 very rich in protein, and is used for feeding to dairy cows and 

 to other animals. On account of its richness, it must be fed 

 in small quantities, in combination with other grains. Whole 

 flaxseed is seldom fed to stock, for it is too high in price as 

 compared with other grains. Flax straw in not usually re- 

 garded as a feeding stuff of value, though it contains con- 

 siderable nutriment. In years when other forage is scarce, 

 however, it is quite a useful feed. The straw is now utilized 

 to some extent in this country in the manufacture of twine, 

 coarse bagging, tow for upholstering, and felting material. 

 298. Improvement of the Crop. While the growing of 

 fiber flax may never become an important industry in the 

 United States, more attention can well be given to the pro- 



