DEDICATED BY PERMISSION TO 



THUS ZE^ZGKHIT 



0f 



MY LORD, 



I have to acknowledge with great respect 

 the courtesy with which, in answer to my request, your 

 Lordship granted me the privilege of dedicating this 

 work on the cultivation of Flax, and the preparation 

 of the Fibrous Plants of the East and West Indies, to 

 your Lordship; and has such an honour should have its 

 weight and influence in and upon the consideration of the 

 Members of the Royal Agricultural Society of England, 

 especially at this time, when Flax is more than double the 

 price quoted at any time during the last thirty years, and 

 when Corn is selling at ruinously low prices, I may hope 

 that the substance of this volume will, under such patronage, 

 induce the Landlords and Farming Members of the Royal 

 Agricultural Society to support the object I have in view, 

 namely, a wide circulation of the instructions which the ex- 

 perience of nearly thirty years as a Flax-grower, preparer of 

 Flax, and manufacturer of Linen; also as Flax and Yarn 

 Agent for three-fourths of the Flax-spinning firms in England, 

 enables me to draw up. 



The facts, derived from my own experience, have been 

 assiduously collated with the results obtained by many English. 

 gentlemen-farmers, who have been induced, by my writings 

 and instructions, to try the cultivation of Flax; and these 

 varied experiences not only establish, by their agreement, 

 the truth and value of my plans, but are found to be in 



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