FLA 



FLA 



141 



should be ascertained in order to 

 regulate the 



Quantity to be sown. 

 " Ou this head no particular di- 

 rections can be given, as it depends 

 on the various qualities of soil, 

 goodness of seed, &c. The rule 

 for sowing small grains is reversed ; 

 flax requiring to be sown thickest 

 on rich soil as not more than one 

 stalk is wanted from a plant. In 

 England and Scotland never less 

 than two nor more than three bush- 

 els to the acre are sown. Two 

 and an half is the most usual por- 

 tion. In Flanders and Ireland sel- 

 dom less than three bushels are 

 sown, except when seed is an ob- 

 ject. Thick sowing is to obtain fine 

 flax. In this country it will be im- 

 portant at present, to sow at such 

 a rate, as will insure good crops of 

 each ; and experience only can 

 determine the exact point. It is 

 probable that six pecks is the least, 

 and two bushels the extent that 

 should be sown to obtain the most 

 profitable results, till the demand 

 for seed is considerably lessened." 



SoWtNG. 



Mr. Pomeroy recommends sow- 

 ing as early as it is possible to pre- 

 pare the ground, says that it is im- 

 portant that the seeds should be 

 equally distributed, and "fortu- 

 nately what has long been a de- 

 sideratum is now attained. A ma- 

 chine for sowing small seeds broad- 

 cast with perfect regularity, has 

 lately been invented, and performs 

 to great satisfaction.* 



* Bennett's machine for sowing bioad-cast, 

 a description and drawing of which are giv- 

 en in the memoirs of the Philadelphia Agri- 

 cultural Society, vol. IV. with ample testi- 



Weeding, 



" Weeding is considered in Eu- 

 rope, and by good husbandmen in 

 this country, as necessary to secure 

 a good crop of flax, which is a very 

 tender plant when young,and more 

 easily checked in its progress by 

 weeds than any other. It is not 

 supposed to be injured by the clo- 

 ver and grass sown with it ; on the 

 contrary the Flemish farmers think 

 them beneficial, by protecting the 

 tender roots fron) drought, and 

 keeping the weeds under. It 

 should be carefully wed when the 

 plants are three or four inches 

 high ; they are not then injured by 

 the labourer going barefooted over 

 them. 



Pulling. 



" This should be performed as 

 soon as the leaves begin to fall,and 

 the stalks shew a bright yellow co- 

 lour, and when the bolls are turn- 

 ed a little brown. The seed will 

 continue to ripen afterwards. — 

 When the flax is lodged it should 

 be pulled immediately, in any stage 

 of its growth, or it will be entirely 

 lost ; great care is requisite in sort- 

 ing the different lengths, and keep- 

 ing them separate till after the flax 

 is hackled, or much waste will en- 

 sue in that process. 



Saving Seed. 



"As soon as, the flax is dry 



enough to be put under cover it 



should be rippled, as it is termed. 



A comb, resembling the head of a 



monj' of its usefulness. It is pushed forward 

 by a man, like a wheel-barrow, and will 

 sow more than one acre in an hour, unim- 

 peded by wind or light rain. They are for 

 sale at Harrison's & Earle's Repository for 

 Agricultural Implements, in the City of New- 

 York. 



