174 Ash of the Flax. [Sept., 



the use, can be obtained in abundance, may nevertheless lead to 

 useful economical results, when generally understood and appre- 

 ciated. 



I particularly recommend trials to be made with the pure pre- 

 pared curd. If we are able to rescue the manufacture of rennet 

 out of the mysterious and empirical hands of the skilled dairy- 

 maid, and by the use of a simple, abundant, easily prepared and 

 pure rennet, can command at once a ready coagulation of the 

 milk, and a curd, either naturally sweet or of a flavor which we 

 had foreseen and commended, we shall have made a considerable 

 step towards the perfection of the art of cheese making. 



ANALYSIS OF THE ASH OF THE FIBRE OF THE FLAX. 



The idea that any part of a vegetable is destitute of matter de- 

 rived from the soil, is not supported by facts: that some bodies 

 are more rich in inorganic matters than others, is true, but none 

 which spring from the soil, but that take up matters from it, and 

 if removed from the field thus far exhausts the soil of certain ele- 

 ments. 



Report on the Analysis of the Fibre of the Flax Plant,hy John 

 F. Hodges, J\'L D. — The council of the society are aware that I 

 have, on several occasions, considered it my duty to direct their 

 attention to the propriety of requesting the Royal Society for the 

 Improvement of the Growth of Flax, to cooperate with them, so 

 as to procure a complete examination of the flax plant. I was in- 

 duced to recommend that such inquiries as I have described in a 

 paper, submitted to their consideration, should be instituted, from 

 the persuasion which I derived from some analytical examinations 

 of the plant, that its chemical composition, and the circumstances 

 alfecting its cultivation, were, as yet, but imperfectly known, and 

 because I conceived that the farmers of this country, who are urged 

 to extend the cultivation of flax, might reasonably expect that the 

 Royal Flax Society, which has already done so much to extend 

 our knowledge respecting the proper management of that most 

 valuable crop, should give us their assistance in carrying out the 

 proposed investigations; for, though the subject is one of immense 

 importance to the country, and particularly to the manufacturing 

 industry of this province, but little has, as yet, been done to ad- 

 vance our knowledge respecting it. We are not in possession of 



