SECRETARY'S REPORT. 291' 



everywhere cultivated. Cork raises this year, 1863, no less 

 than 662 acres, to 291 in 1862. Kerry has now under flax 380 

 acres, to 259 last year, and other counties in proportion. There 

 are this year 214,092 acres in flax, an increase of 64,022 acres 

 over the area in 1862. It was regarded as so important that a 

 committee was appointed by the North-East Agricultural Asso- 

 ciation of Ireland, to prepare brief and simple 



Directions for the Proper Management of the Flax Crop. 

 These were printed in Dublin a short time before I was there. 

 They were as follows : — 



Soil and Rotation. — By attention and careful cultivation, good 

 flax may be grown on various soils ; but some are much better 

 adapted for it than others. The best is a sound, dry, deep loam. 

 It is almost essential that the land should be properly, drained 

 and sub-soiled ; as, when it is long saturated with either under- 

 ground or surface water, a good crop need not be expected. 

 The sub-soiling should be executed the year of the green crop, 

 so as to be completed at least two years before the flax is grown. 



The best rotation is to grow after wheat, on average soils ; 

 but in poor soils, where wheat does not succeed, it is often 

 better to grow after potatoes. Flax should on no account be 

 grown oftener than once in five years ; and once in seven, or 

 even ten, is considered safer. 



Any departure from this system of rotation is likely to cause 

 loss and disappointment. 



Preparation of the Soil. — One of the points of the greatest 

 importance in the culture of flax is by thorough-draining ; and 

 by careful and repeated cleansing of the land from weeds, to 

 place it in the finest, deepest, and cleanest state. Tliis will 

 make room for the roots to penetrate, which they will often do 

 to a depth equal to one-half the length of the stem above ground. 



After wheat, one ploughing may be sufficient on light, friable 

 loam, but two ploughings are better ; and on stiff soils three are 

 advisable — one immediately after harvest, across the ridges, and 

 two in spring, so as to be ready for sowing in the first or second 

 week in April. Much will, of course, depend on the nature of 

 the soil, and the knawledge and experience of the farmer. The 

 land should be so well drained and sub-soiled that it can be sown 

 in flats, which will give more even and much better crops. But, 



