AND USE IN UNITED STATES. 47 



is combined with the high price of labor." 

 He enumerates the various weeds that 

 afflict the flax grower, and quotes from 

 an old English local poet, speaking of 

 the kerlock weed, 



" But he says, says 'e, ' It ain't no use 



Vor to go to a girt expense, 

 Vor 'twill come agen, whate'er thee does, 

 Nor a year a two from hence.' " J 



The flax should be harvested when the 

 leaves begin to fall and the stems turn 

 yellow, albeit the seed is not at that time 

 fully ripe. In Europe, the harvesting is 

 done by pulling the plant up by the roots. 

 In this country it is usually cut with a 

 machine. Pulling is essential to the best 

 fibre ; for, apart from the fact that cutting 

 dries and injures the fibre and gathers the 

 weeds, it is said that " one inch of straw 

 at the base is worth two at the top of the 

 plant." The pulling is thus described : 

 " When the flax is standing erect, a hand- 



1 Also in Rep. Dept. Ag. 1863, p. 116. 



2 Rep. Cong. Com. p. 24. 



