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THE GENESEE FARMER 47 



CULTURE OF FLAX. 



Man of all animals is the only one who requires and is able to provide himself with 

 clothing; and it is in direct proportion to his advancement in civilization and the arts, 

 that he clothes himself with garments agreeable to the feelings and pleasant to the sight. 

 The animal and the vegetable kingdoms furnish him with the raw material from which 

 he makes his beautiful fabrics — the former supplying him with wool and silk, and the 

 latter with cotton and flax. We propose to conhne our attention at this time to the last. 



Flax is supposed to have been brought originally from the alluvial soils of Egypt 

 formed by the overflowing of the Nile, where from remote antiquity it has been cultiva- 

 ted, spun, and woven. Egyptian mummies embalmed 1200 years B. C. are found 

 wrapped in swaddling clothes of fine linen. Its introduction from this warm to the 

 colder climates, has materially improved the fibre and rendered it fitter for the manufac- 

 ture of articles of fine texture. A cool, moist, and equitable temperature is best adapted 

 to its growth, though it is grown at present to a greater or less extent in all the northern 

 countries of Europe, in Italy, Sicily, Egypt, and to a considerable extent in Ireland and 

 England, where great eflforts have latterly been made by government to extend its cul- 

 ture so that it may aftbrd employment for its superabundant labor. The amount now 

 raised in Ireland is estimated at 25,000 tons. The total amount of flax consumed in the 

 British isles is about 100,000 tons per annum. Of this Russia furnishes about 70 per 

 cent. ; but it is chiefly of a coarse texture, selling for about |225 per ton, whereas Bel- 

 gian is often sold from SoOO to $700 per ton : it should therefore be the chief aim of the 

 cultivator not so much to grow quantity but quality. 



The soil best adapted for its growth, is a dry, deep loam, with a clay subsoil ; and, as 

 a general rule, all soils need under-draining for its profitable production. The prepara- 

 tion of the soil is of great importance. It should be quite free from weeds, and be finely 

 pulverized to a considerable depth, as the fibrous roots of the flax plant, if they meet 

 with no obstruction, often penetrate to a depth of thirty inches in a straight line. A 

 good plan is to sow it after wheat. Directly after harvest, the wheat stubble should be 

 dragged with a heavy harrow, which covers the small seeds, causing them to germinate. 

 In about three weeks it should be well and deeply plowed : this will kill all the annuals 

 that have germinated ; but it should be dragged or cultivated at intervals in the fall, so 

 as to destroy as many of the perennial roots as possible ; and it would be advisable, as 

 late in the fall as possible, if the weather be dry, to give it another deep plowing, so as 

 to leave it rough for the winter. As soon as it is sufiiciently dry in the spring, it should 

 be dragged and rolled, and then immediately before sowing it should be again plowed, 

 leaving the land as level as possible ; a drag should precede the sower, and a light one 

 with thick set teeth should be used to cover the seed. 



The quantity of seed per acre is a matter of importance, depending on the condition 

 of the soil and the object of the grower. If seed alone is the object, one bushel will bo 

 sufficient, as thin sowing causes the plant to throw out branches which bear abundance 

 of seed, but the flax is of a very coarse, inferior kind. The richer the land the less seed 

 is required, as the plant will branch more. But if flax is required, two and a half 

 bushels (or 126 lbs.) is about the proper quantity. If the soil is rich, three bushels 

 should be used ; if poor, two bushels will be sufScient ; the object being to prevent the 

 plant from branching out and to obtain a tall and slender stem. 



Great care should be taken to obtain clean seed. Choose that which is shining and 

 slippery, not too plump, and of a brownish red color. It should be sown as early in 

 April as the Aveather will permit ; but it is better to wait till the soil is dry and warm, 

 even if it should not be sown before the first of May. 



The most critical time of the flax crop is before the plant has covered the ground — 



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