50 FLAX CULTURE 



It seems to be better adapted to countries 

 of humid climate, and of comparatively 

 small areas of cultivation, subdivided 

 among a dense population, accustomed 

 to cheap hand labor." ' It is submitted 

 that this is equally true to-day. 



The flax is, however, by no means ready 

 for market when it is pulled from the 

 ground. The flax of the arts is the fibre 

 between the outer bark and the inner 

 woody pith of the plant ; and several 

 tedious processes, requiring skill and ex- 

 perience, are necessary to separate the 

 fibre from the wood and bark. Most of 

 this work must be done by the farmer, 

 before his product is marketable, partly 

 because much of the work can only be 

 done by hand, and partly because, in our 

 vast country, the flax-mills are too far 

 away to warrant the shipment of the bulky 

 flax straw. A brief review of these pro- 

 cesses is necessary to a clear understand- 

 ing. 



The plants must not be allowed to lie on 



1 Rep. Cong. Com., p. 5*. 



