10 



approximate the mechanical condition of a sandy loam. Therein lies one of the 

 secrets in flax cultivation. On such lands and on clays, deep fall ploughing after 

 all crops, except perhaps corn or roots, is the best practice. Depth is emphasized 

 for the reason that, when possible, the delicate filaments of the flax root penetrate 

 almost as deeply below the surface as the stem rises above it. Hoed crops have already 

 entailed what fall ploughing on stubble or sod provides, an assurance of a solid 

 moisture-retaining foundation for the seed bed. The frosts of winter are the silent 

 but sure pulverizers of loams and clays. After such preliminary preparation, double 

 discing, thorough harrowing and rolling in the spring will make the ordinary land 

 fit to receive the flax seed. 



Where the clods still remain stubborn, extra precautions are necessary. Some 

 Canadian farmers use the stiff-tooth harrow, upside down. In European countries, 

 where labour is cheaper and more plentiful, women and children go about with wooden 

 mallets pulverizing the resistant lumps when dry. This practice is mentioned, not 

 as a method for Canadians to adopt, but. merely to emphasize the importance attached 

 to the necessity of a very fine seed bed for flax. 



'When weeds are encountered in the crop preceding flax, careful farmers harrow 

 the field immediately after harvest so as to cause germination of any existing weed 

 seeds. The late fall ploughing rids the ground of these. On rich land that is being 

 cleared of weeds over a period of years, a corn crop, thoroughly cultivated, is found 

 to be the most suitable to precede flax. 



FERTILIZERS. 



There are few complaints of a soil being too rich for flax. An excess of humus, 

 however, produces an over-growth of wood at the expense of fibre. Though flax is 

 spoken of as the pioneer crop, the best fibre flax is actually grown on old lands. The 

 element most commonly wanting in lands too poor to produce good flax crops is 

 potash. Experiments conducted under the supervision of the Irish Department of 

 Agriculture over a period of twelve years are summarized as follows: 



(1) The use of potassic manures', e.g., kainit,- muriate of potash and sulphate 

 of potash, gave profitable increases. Kainit and muriate of potash, which showed 

 almost equal merits, gave better results than sulphate of potash. 



(2) The winter application of kainit, and also muriate of potash, gave almost 

 similar results to those obtained when these manures were applied at the time of 

 sowing. The time for applying either of these manures may, therefore, be left to the 

 convenience of the growers. 



(3) The application of agricultural salt was not remunerative. 



(4) Phosphatic manures, applied either singly, in combination with a potash 

 manure, or as part of a complete mixture, encouraged the growth of weeds at the 

 expense of the flax, and their uise was almost invariably attended with a loss, and 

 very frequently even with smaller yields of scutched flax. 



(5) Profitable increases were in many instances obtained from the slow-acting 

 nitrogenous manure, rape meal, when used in conjunction with kainit. The results, 

 however, varied to such a degree in different seasons, that the use of this mixture 

 could not be recommended in preference to dressings of either kainit or muriate of 

 potash. 



(6) The addition of the nitrogenous manure, sulphate of ammonia, to muriate 

 of potash gave, on the average of all centres, profitable increases in three seasons out 

 of four. Owing to the variations in the results obtained at different centres and in 

 different seasons it was not possible to make a definite recommendation as to the 

 use of sulphate of ammonia. 



In Japan also, it may be noted, flax growers have discovered that the use of 

 phosphates is of practically no benefit to flax. The common form of fertilizer used 

 by the Japanese directly for flax is liquid manure. 



