120 DICKSON ON FLAX CULTURE 



to keep a sufficient supply in this market, without our 

 depending on foreigners for a raw material that we can 

 produce equally as good, fine, and strong, if our farmers will 

 only give it proper attention. We only want a few such men 

 as Mr. M'Carten in England and Scotland to lead the way. 

 I shall attend to Mr, Stephen's suggestions and shall have his 

 Book of the Farm on my return ; but before I do so, I can 

 believe he is perfectly correct in saying that * his sentiments on 

 the effect of the growth of Flax are in accordance with the 

 experience of Scottish farmers : ' but as I can prove by 

 experiments that Mr. S., having allowed these ideas to be his 

 guide, has published opinions that are found to be in error (if 

 Mr. Beamish's quotations are correct), I cannot see that he 

 should take amiss my quoting practical men to prove that his 

 teaching is erroneous. I noticed his remarks from a pure 

 conviction that however valuable Mr. S's. work may be on 

 other subjects (and I have been told it is so), the doctrine 

 laid down on Flax-culture was the same as was believed in 

 Ireland up to the last few years ; and knowing from practice 

 and the results of experiments made by practical men, that 

 ideas so plainly stated in a work on agriculture would prevent 

 experiments being tried, I did write " in earnest " and will ever do 

 so, in opposition to anything likely to prevent the cultivation 

 of Flax in Great Britain and Ireland; I believe I act as the 

 farmer's friend, and the advocate and friend of the agricultural 

 labouring classes, when I advise this country to produce what 

 will keep her machinery going, in place of sending millions to 

 the continent to support a people who tax our yarns and linens 

 made from their own Flax, forty to sixty per cent., and 

 quarrel amongst themselves about adding an additional duty. 



' ' I am, dear Sir, yours truly, 



"J. EL DICKSON. 

 Bull and Mouth Hotel, Leeds, 

 20th December, 1845." 



