11 



If one sought to replace the mineral constituents consumed by an average acre 

 of flax he would have to buy, according to the late Dr. Hodges, of Queen's College, 

 Belfast, the following materials: 



Pounds. 



Muriate of potash 30 



Common salt 25 



Burnt gypsum 34 



Bone dvst 54 



Sulphate of magnesia 50 



Where mixed farming prevails, as in southwestern Ontario, barnyard manures 

 constitute the main form of soil enrichment. These have ordinarily been found 

 ample to maintain the average farm in a satisfactory condition. One precaution 

 must be taken in applying barnyard manure for flax. The manure must be well 

 composted. This effect is usually secured by applying the manure for the crop pre- 

 ceding flax. Coarse, undecomposed manure applied to the flax crop directly produces 

 an uneven stand and fibre of poor quality. 



SEED AND SOWING. 



The exact reasons why Canadian flax growers, like those of almost every other 

 flax-growing country except Russia, have never been able to evolve successful strains 

 of fibre flax are uncertain. It seems fatuous to admit that the thing is impossible. 

 Russian growers use Russian seed year in and year out, never going farther than to 

 the next province to secure a fresh supply. Various field investigators in America 

 have found reason for believing it feasible for us to develop our own seed. 



It is quite possible that fibre flax growers, finding final seed-ripening in the stand 

 to be incompatible with fibre production, grew neglectful of their seed plots, and 

 thereby founded their opinion on crops from undeveloped seed, which naturally 

 proved incapable of producing vigorous plants. Such a misconception probably 

 explains the false notion still current in parts of Ireland that fibre production and 

 seed production cannot be carried on together. 



It must be noted that the Russian method of saving the seed is far more careful 

 and painstaking than ours. Cleaned flax seed rapidly deteriorates unless thoroughly 

 dried and freed from dampness. The Russians remove portions of the stems at the 

 seed end and tie these uniformly about a pole in the field. When air-dried, they are 

 removed to a moderately heatod room and thoroughly dried, before threshing. 



About twenty-five years ago Professor Wollny, a European experimenter, dis- 

 covered that by heating flax seed for twenty-five days at a temperature of 110 F. 

 both more seed and more fibre resulted a normal increase being about 26 per cent. 



There seems to be no reason why Canadian growers cannot create characteristic 

 types of Canadian seed. The task seems simple in view of the success of Professor 

 Bull, of the University of Minnesota, in evolving Minnesota No. 19 fibre flax from 

 Minnesota No. 25 seed flax. 



We must point out here a recognized drawback that seems due entirely to the 

 practice of using imported seed. Fibre crops in this country invariably suffer unduly 

 when a drought occurs. European strains of flax are less accustomed to droughts. 

 Professor Bolley has succeeded in creating a disease-resistant type of flax. It remains 

 for some Canadian to attempt the development of a new Canadian fibre flax better 

 suited to our conditions than any we now have. 



The importance of seeking Canadian seed rests far more in the prospects of 

 improving the length, quality, uniformity, and hardiness of the plants than in the 

 mere matter of the cost of using imported seed every few years. The average crop of 

 200 acres to a flax centre requires, however, when sown at the rate of 84 pounds to 

 the acre, 300 bushels. At the normal price of imported seed, $3.50 a bushel, this 

 means an expenditure of $1,050. At present, imported seed costs between $5 and $6 

 a bushel, 



542 2* 



