88 [Assembly 



The above lanJ is a mixture of dark loam and gravel well adapted 

 to grass. 



Yours respectfully, 



EZRA LELAND. 



STATEMENT OF GEO. W. BILLINGS. 



Questions answered by Geo. W. Billings of Missouri, on the Culture 

 and Manufacture of Flax and Hemp. 



1st. What kind of soil shall I choose ? and what manure ? 



Where there is most lime. On our best prairie land we add twen- 

 ty bushels of lime to an acre ; the lime should first be slacked. Use 

 also good well decomposed manure. 



2d. When and how often, and how deep shall I plow it ? 



Plow as soon as the crop is off the field in the fall ; plow deep, and 

 if necessary use the sub-soil plow so as tc plow 12 inches deep. Then 

 in the spring plow lour or five inches deep. 



3d. When and how shall I sow the seed — broadcast or in drills — 

 and how many bushels to each acre ? 



As soon as the land is plowed in the spring, harrow it lightly, and 

 sow two and a half to three bushels of seed to each acre, then harrow 

 well. 



4th. How shall I keep the crop clean ? 



The crops keep clean of weeds by the close thick growth of flax. 



5th. How shall I gather the flax, and at what time ? 



Cut the flax with a cradle, having a scythe from eighteen to twen- 

 ty-two inches in length. Cut as soon as the blossoms of the flax be- 

 gin to fall. 



♦ 

 6lh. How shall I secure the crop vyhen gathered ? Whcit quantity 



in a bundle ? 



Let the flax lie on the ground until it wilts. In fair weather it may 

 lie there thirty-six hours. Wet weather must be avoided at this time, 



