24 DICKSON ON 



good new seed used, there will be no difference in the length of 

 the Flax. The pullers should be made to keep the root end as 

 even as possible, resembling a painter's brush, as the more 

 straight and regular it is kept in this operation the more 

 the value of the Flax is increased to the spinner, and the 

 grower will find himself amply repaid for any extra attention 

 he may bestow, by the additional price his well handled Flax 

 will draw, compared with the price he will see the slovenly 

 growers obtain for theirs. The handfuls of pulled Flax should 

 be laid across each other diagonally, to be ready for lifting and 

 the necessary operation of taking off the seed, which to save 

 trouble and expense in tying and re-tying, should be done in 

 the field at the time of pulling, as such work can be more 

 easily performed at that time, previous to tying up in sheaves, 

 than at any other time. This mode of management should be 

 attended to at once, for there is great loss of seed if it be 

 stacked or removed from the field until properly dry, and it is 

 more easily handled when it is in sheaves with the seed off. 

 If it is to be managed after the Belgium system, by keeping it 

 over to the following year, it should be dried in the field, as 

 corn, previous to being built in the stack, and well secured from 

 vermin, as rats and mice make sad havock by cutting it across, 

 which completely destroys it for any useful purpose. 



TAKING OFF THE SEED FROM THE STRAW. 



I recommend my Patent Portable Machine, on four wheels, 

 for the taking off the seed. It is turned by a man, whilst a 

 girl attends the Machine, feeding it with the top or bow ends 

 of the Flax" stalks. This Machine can be moved on in the 

 field after the pullers, and with sacks and winnow cloths to 

 prevent waste, will be a great saving in expense. A covered 

 waggon in case of rain would be an additional advantage. 

 The Machine will be found to remove all the husk as well as 



