TIME OF SOWING FLAX. 21 



seed as will produce him sufficient seed for his following year's 

 sowing, if he does not find an advantage to sow now and then 

 from his own saved seed, without a fresh supply, however, I 

 have no reason to apprehend that he will need one, as I have, 

 in many instances known the finest and most luxuriant crops 

 produced from home saved seed, Two imperial bushels, if 

 sown on a statute acre, and the ground in good condition, will 

 produce seed sufficient for nearly 6 acres where seed, not 

 fibre, is the object, 



I recommend from 2J to 2J imperial bushels to be sown 

 broadcast, on an English statute acre (from the 1st to the 

 20th April is the best time), as if less be used, the Flax will 

 grow coarse and will branch out before it is more than 18 

 inches to 2 feet in height, and as these branches produce very 

 inferior, dry, and weak fibre, compared with what grows on 

 the stem or stalk, and generally disappears in retting (a system 

 I denounce), it is another evidence of the truth in the saying 

 that a unity is strength," for to me it appears that the plant 

 after it grows 18 inches to 2 feet, has not in itself juice or oil 

 sufficient to support three or four separate branches, and the 

 pull on it from the great number of seed capsules, all of 

 which are draining the oil fiom the main trunk or stem, so 

 extracts the oil and sap, that not only does the fibre on the 

 stem, which will be short, dry, and brittle, be much dete- 

 riorated, but that which is produced on the branches be almost 

 worthless. But when sufficient quantity of seed is sown, the 

 plants are thrown up close, delicate, and lengthy, with but one 

 lenter or top, until near three feet, and sometimes three feet 

 and a quarter high, on which will be two or three seed bolls 

 or capsules, and being close they quickly shoot up and become 

 tall, just as young fir trees do when too thickly planted, and 

 as a consequence, all the fibre is produced on the one stalk 

 and the farmer has from this course of management a l&ng, 

 fine, and valuable quality of Flax, and at least one-fourth more 



