104 DICKSON ON FLAX AS A 



LETTER IV. 



FLAX IMPKOVEMENT SOCIETY'S MEETING AT BALLINASLOE, FLAX 



CULTURE CONDEMNED BY MR. BEAMISH. 



Observing in the Agricultural Gazette, on Saturday, at 

 page 744, that objections were made to the cultivation of Flax 

 by Mr. Beamish, at Ballinasloe, I think proper to give the 

 particulars as they appeared in that journal, hoping to convince 

 that gentleman of his error in taking for his guide the produc- 

 tions of theorists in preference to the opinions of practical men ; 

 and as I intend to notice his quotations from Mr. Stephen's 

 Book of the Farm, I shall first present my readers with 

 Mr. Beamish's observations, and after giving space to the 

 answers of Messrs. Macartney, Walker, and Hazlett, gentle- 

 men farmers from the North of Ireland, whose remarks, from 

 thirty years practical experience in Flax-culture, will no doubt 

 have their effect with British farmers, I hope to satisfy those 

 who believe Mr. Stephen's observations on the nature of the 

 Flax-plant, that he has imprudently, if not unfortunately for 

 himself, touched on a subject that I am prepared to prove he 

 is totally ignorant of, however deserving his work may be on 

 other matters connected with agriculture. 



ELAX IMPROVEMENT SOCIETY. 



" A meeting of the Flax Improvement Society was held at 

 Ballinasloe during the visit of the Irish Agricultural Society. 

 The Secretary read the report of the proceedings of the Society 

 for the last year. After the report had been read, Charles 

 Beamish, Esq., county Cork, proceeded to state some objec- 

 tions to the cultivation of Flax as being deteriorating to the 

 soil. He said : c According to Mr. Stephen, in his Book of 

 the Farm, page 1036, Flax must be kept clear of weeds 

 during the summer ; and as to growing grass seeds, even the 

 low-growing white clover, amongst Flax, it should make no 



