CHAPTER II 



FLAX SEED 



9. Fibre Seed for Sowing. 10. Germination. 11. Weight. 

 12. Purity. 13. Relative Sowing Value. 14. Testing Flax Seed 

 for Germination Value. 15. Testing Flax Seed for Weight. 16. 

 Testing Flax Seed for Moisture. 17. Testing for Moisture in Hot Air. 

 18. Sources of Supply and Varieties of Seed. 19. Russian Seed. 

 20. Dutch Seed. 21. The Sources of Supply of Flax Seed. 



THE seed or fruit product of the flax plant, as previously 

 explained, may be cultivated for subsequent sowings and 

 propagation of its species or for the preparation of linseed oil 

 and feeding stuffs for cattle, etc. 



9. Fibre Seed for Sowing. When the plant is grown for its 

 fibre, it is vitally essential that the best available flax seed on 

 the market be selected, since it is fundamentally impossible 

 to grow good flax fibre from indifferent seed. Flax seed of 

 good quality possesses vitality ; it is heavy in weight, uniform 

 in pickle, plump in body, smooth and slippery in handle, 

 glossy and brownish in appearance. 



The flax seed should be well cleaned by screening, and free 

 from grass and weed seeds and dirt. A sieve containing 

 twelve bars to the inch should be used for the separation of 

 the grass and other small seeds. 



Seed merchants of long experience have discovered the most 

 suitable kind of seed for any given climate and soil. To them 

 the pedigree of the seed is always known, hence they are 

 naturally able to satisfy the requirements of any professional 

 or less experienced buyer. 



10. Germination. Germination is the beginning of growth 

 in the seed. The vitality or high percentage property of 

 germination is the first and most important factor governing 

 the relative value of any seed, since without life in the seed 

 there can be no further propagation of the parent plant. The 



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