18 FLAX. 



to come to this conclusion, because ifc is the opinion of 

 such men as Duhamel, Eozier, Bosc, and Tessier, the 

 ]ast of whom (the author of an excellent treatise on 

 flax) assured himself by his own experience, that Riga 

 seed, in the climate of Paris, does not produce better flax 

 than the seed from many cantons of Prance, and other 

 places of the south of Europe. 



Nevertheless, although the result of the above facts 

 and observations may be to prove that it is not abso- 

 lutely necessary for Trench, flemish, and English flax- 

 growers to obtain all their seed from Riga (which in any 

 case would be a very important truth to settle ; for, as 

 the Breton Society rightly observe, agriculture cannot 

 flourish in her perfect strength and energy, until she is able 

 to dispense with all aid from a distance) ; does it also 

 follow that it would be of no advantage to renew the 

 seed ? That is the point into which we will now inquire. 



Although it may be safely assumed that the renewing 

 of the seed, after a longer or shorter lapse of time, may 

 not be a matter of absolute necessity ; although that 

 opinion may be firmly maintained, as a point of theory, 

 because it has been proved beyond question that seed 

 well selected in the first instance, and properly treated 

 afterwards, under every relation essential to its culture 

 and its preservation, is capable of maintaining itself for a 

 very long time in a perfectly normal and healthy state, 

 and in a condition to give rise to an abundant and 

 vigorous produce, without experiencing anything like a 

 general deterioration ; the belief may, nevertheless, be 

 entertained, that in a very great number of cases such a 

 renewal of seed may prove advantageous, on the principle 

 that land in general likes a change of crop. Moreover, 

 when a change of seed is determined upon, it is natural 

 to suppose, that the endeavour will be always made to 

 substitute such as is superior to the seed in hand, in 

 weight, bulk, cleanness, and other desirable qualities. 

 The question, therefore, considered in this point of view, 

 must inevitably be decided in favour of a renewal of seed, 

 because it is likely to be accompanied by other advan- 



