io8 FLAX GROWING IN THE BRITISH EMPIRE 



The quantities and values of (i) flax, and (2) flax 

 tow or codilla imported into the United Kingdom 

 during the years 1912-15 are given in the tables 

 on page 109. 



FLAX CULTIVATION IN BRITISH TERRITORY 



Ireland and Canada are the only parts of the British 

 Empire in which flax fibre is at present produced on 

 a commercial scale. 



Ireland. -The Irish flax-growing industry attained 

 its maximum in 1864, when 301,693 acres were 

 devoted to the crop, but subsequently it underwent 

 a rapid decline, the lowest area on record being that 

 of 1898 which amounted to 34,469 acres. Some 

 improvement then took place, the average annual 

 acreage being 48,064 acres during 1901-1905, and 

 49,169 acres during 1906-1910. The areas planted 

 in the years 1911-1916 were as follows : 



Year. Area. Year. Area. 



Acres. Acres. 



I9II. , . 66,6l8 1914 . . 49,253 



1912 . . 55>62 1915 



1913 59,305 1916 



The principal cause of the decline in the industry 

 was the speculative nature of the crop due to un- 

 certainty of yield and price. It has been suggested 

 that it was partly owing to a change having occurred 

 in the climatic conditions, but there is no evidence 

 that such a change has really taken place. The 

 Irish flax-spinning industry has undergone great 

 extension in recent years, and at present only about 

 one-fourth to one-fifth of the fibre required in the 

 mills is produced in the country, the remainder being 

 imported. 



Flax cultivation receives a great deal of attention 

 from the Irish Department of Agriculture who have 

 carried out experiments for several years past, par- 

 ticularly to ascertain the best seed for sowing and the 

 best manures for the crop, and to produce improved 



