306 GROWING FLAX ON NEWLY BROKEN UP GRASS LAND. 



one crop better tlian all others adapted for lea, provided it is 

 in fertile condition, viz., flax, wliicli on down-land that 

 "would bring- 4 quarters of vvheat when broken up from the 

 lea, would yield a crop of liax worth 30/., the charges on 

 which, including" rent and taxes, at 30s. per acre, Avould 

 Timount to about 13/. 10s., of which sum 11/. 10.?. would be 

 expended in labour. The growth of flax ought to be en- 

 couraged above all other descriptions of agricxdtural produce. 

 As it cannot be profitably grown unless the ground is in 

 g'ood condition, both as regards cleanliness and heart, many 

 landlords have prohibited its growth, under the impression 

 that it is a highly impoverishing crop; j^et it is not so 

 impoverishing a crop as wheat, even if allowed to stand for 

 seed ; and if pulled in the white is the least impoverishing- 

 crop that is sold ofl:" the flirm. The water in Avhich flax is 

 retted should always be thrown on meadow or pasture land. 

 There is a singular circumstance that peculiarly'- fits flax for 

 cultivation on weak sods, such as downs and sandy soils, 

 viz., that a crop of 38 stones is often more valuable than one 

 of 70 stones; indeed, poor soils, with care and attention, 

 will 3^ield quite as good a return from the sale of flax fibre as 

 richer lands, but poor soils will not bear its being- so fre- 

 quently grown. I shall, on the subject of flax, again quote 

 Mr. Walkden, with which quotation I shall nearly conclude 

 the subject : — 



" I beg to give you another instance of down-land of a 

 stronger and better description, being brought into the 

 northern system of cultivation by Mr. Erough, of Shaw 

 Farm, near Marlborough. He has boned his land to a very 

 considerable extent; and his turnips thus manag-ed have 

 invariably been a great crop. It is his opinion, that were 

 the system of two corn crops in succession, and of mowing- 

 the seeds for hay instead of pasturing- with sheep, done away 

 Vv-ith, the land would become more certain for turnips, parti- 

 cularly Swedes, than in the north. He has also grow^n lin- 

 seed with success, for which he considers the lightest of the 

 fJon-ns particularly adapted. He thus obtains a substitute 

 for oil-cake — the carriage on which from London renders it 

 very dear. Linseed is sown instead of barley or oats in 

 spring. He has brought into cultivation the whole of his 

 clown pastures, and is enabled, by artificial grasses, to keep 

 more sheep in summer, and much better than in its original 

 state. But his greatest advantage is in the winter ; a good 

 turnip system, instead of hay, enabling him to provide food 



