9H PRACTICE OF AGRICULTURE. Part III. 



But it is a mistake to sow thin when (lax is intended to betaken; for the crop then 

 becomes coarse, and often unproductive. From eight to ten pecks per acre is the proper 

 quantity in the last case, but when Beed is the object, six pecks will do very well. (Brovm.) 

 Thick-sown Hal runs up in height, and produces fine soft flax ; if sown thin, it does not 



rise so high, but spreads more and puts forth many side branches, which produce abun- 

 dance of seed, and such seed is much better filled, plumper and heavier, than the seed 

 produced from thick-sown flax. {Donaldson.) 



5889. In the choice of wed, that winch is of a bright brownish colour, oily to the feel, 

 anil at the same time weighty, is considered the best. 

 5890, Linked, importedjrom various c^nMes,Hemp\oy^_ ^»^*^^Ji£3E5 



coarse sort of flax, but a greater quantity of seeds than any other. It is common in some parts ot Scot- 

 land to sow seeds saved from the crop of the preceding year, especially when that crop was raised from 

 seed imported from Holland The success of this practice is found to depend greatly on changing the 

 seed from one sort of soil to another of an opposite nature; but the saving in the expense ot purchasing 

 that sort of seel in place of what is newlv imported from Holland, is so inconsiderable, and the risk of 

 the crop misgiving so much greater in the one case than in the other, that those only who are ignorant 

 of the consequences, or who are compelled from necessity, are chargeable with this act ot ill-judged par. 

 simony Max seed is by some farmers changed every three years, but many have sown the same seed 

 ten ve'ars in succession without perceiving any degeneracy. When any degeneracy takes place the seed 

 of flax grown on a different soil, as moss, moor, sand, &c without any view to the produce in fibre, will, 

 it is said, answer as well as foreign seed. 



5891. The manner of sowing is almost always the same; but when seed is the main 

 object, drilling may be adopted, by which seed will be saved in sowing, cleaning con- 

 ducted at less expense, and the plants rendered more vigorous and branchy by the stir- 

 ring of the soil and the admission of air between the rows. The fibres of flax grown 

 in this way, however, will be shorter, and less equal in thickness throughout their length, 

 than flax grown by the broad-cast mode, and tolerably thick. 



5892 The after-culture of f cur consists chiefly in weeding, but sometimes it com- 

 mences with rolling the surface, which is a very proper operation when the soil is very 

 dry, the season advanced, or the earth very porous. By this process the earth is pressed 

 firmly to the seeds, and they are thereby stimulated to vegetate sooner, and the drought 

 is kept out. On some soils, and in wet or stormy seasons, flax is apt to be laid, to guard 

 against which some cultivators run across their flax field slender poles fixed to stakes : 

 but a better method is to run small ropes across the field, both lengthwise and breadth- 

 wise, where necessary ; for these being fastened where they intersect one another, and 

 supported by stakes at due distances, form a kind of network, which is proof against 

 almost every accident that can happen from tempestuous weather. 



58".". In Scotland a crop of flax, it is said, has been sometimes weeded by turning a flock of sheep at large 

 into the field. They will not taste the young flax plants, but they carefully search for the weeds, which 

 they devour. 



5894. The fax crop is taken by pulling, on which there is a considerable difference 

 of opinion. None, however, think of pulling it before it comes into flower, when fibre 

 is the sole object ; or before the seed in the capsules acquires a brownish colour, when 

 fibre and seed jointly are required, or when seed alone is the object. 



58"5. Some argue for it pulling white green, in order that its fibres may be softer and finer ; others, with 

 the same view, pull it up before its seeds are quite formed ; and others again think that it should not be 

 pulled till some of the capsules which contain the seeds have begun to open, being of opinion that the 

 fibres of green flax are too tender, and that they fall into tow. On the other hand, it is certain the fibres 

 of flax which has stood till it is very ripe are always stiff and harsh, that they are not easily separated 

 from the reed, and that they do not bleach well. Here, therefore, as in most other cases, both extremes 

 should be avoided ; and it consequently seems most reasonable to think that the properest time for pulling 

 flax, is when its stalks begin to turn from a green to a yellow, when its leaves begin to fall, and when its 

 seeds begin to be brown. Donaldson observes, that a crop of flax frequently grows short, and runs out a 

 great number of seed-bearing branches. When that is the case, the seeds, not the flax, ought to be the 

 farmer's chief object, ami the crop should be allowed to stand till the seeds are in a great measure per. 

 fected. Hut that when the crop thrives, and is likely to become more valuable for the flax than the seeds, 

 it shouldabe pulled soon after the bloom drops off, aiid before the pods turn hard and sharp in the points. 

 When fl.ix is grown for its fibre, Brown considers it the safest course to take it a little early, any thing 

 wanting in quantity being, in this way, made up by the superiority of quality. 



5896 The operation of pulling flax differs according to the intention of the crop. When it is grown for 

 the fibre it is pulled and tied into sheaves like corn, and carried off immediately to be watered. But 

 when the seed is to be taken from the plant, it is pulled and laid in handfuls. 



5S n 7. In pulling. tt'ir, it is usual, when it is intended to save neither lie quite in a line with each other, nor directly across, 



the seeds, to lav it in handfuls, parti] across each other; the hut a ittle slanting upwards, so that the air may easily pass 



reason for which is, 'that the husiness of rippling is thereby through them. Some, instead of this method, tie the handfuls 



facilitated, as the ripplers, in place of having to separate each of flax loosely at the top, then spread out thi ir roots, and thus 



handful from the bundle, find it tvs this simple precaution set several or them together upright upon their roots. Ineither 



already done to their hand. Although it Is of much import- of these ways, the flax is gtnt rally left twelve or fourteen days 



ance, yet it very seldom happens that much atten'ion is in the field to dry it. This drying is certainly not necessary 



bestowed to separate the different sorts of flai from each other, for the rippling, because the ripple will si naratc the capsules 



in pulling the crop. In most lields, th'-re are varieties of from the flax as effectually before it has been dried as it v. ill 



soils; of course some parts of a fi Id will produce tine flax. afterwards; and if it is done with a view to ri|»en the seed, it 



others coarse ; some long, and some short : in a word, crops of should be considered, that the flax will be more hurt by the 



different lengths and qualities. It cannot be supposed that all longer lime of steeping, which will become necessary in conse- 



these sorts of tlax a ill undergo an equal degree of watt ring, qnencenf this drying, than th~ seed can bebeni titid ; because, 



grassing, breaking, and heckling, without sustaining great the more the membrane which connects the nbres to the reed 



injur*. is dri d, the gre iter must be the degree of putrefaction neces- 



'tS'is. |; tht ,/blJC II joilft',1, it is laid together by handfuls, sary to loosen and destroy the cohesion of this connecting 



with the seed end turned to the south. Tht.se handfuls should membrane; the liner parts of the flax itself must necessarily be 



