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THE GENESEE FARMER. (<^ 



It has hitherto been the practice with many flax-growers to raise it only for the seed, 

 taking no account of the fibre, which is in reality the most valuable part, and it was 

 thought incompatible to grow good flax and seed. This, however, we believe is a mis- 

 take ; good seed and good flax have been often raised together, and will be much more 

 generally when the value of flax is better understood. In pulling flax, it is not easy to 

 seize upon the proper time, so as to make sure of good flax and seed. If pulled too 

 earli/, much seed is lost ; and if it be delayed only a short time too long^ the quality of 

 the fibre is greatly deteriorated. The seed must give way to the fibre. It is recom- 

 mended to let the flax be fully out of flower, the seed balls well formed or set, and seed 

 turning brown, and the flax stalks yellow beneath though green at the top ; it is then 

 in the best stage for pulling with most profit to the grower. The pulling should now 

 be carried on as rapidly as possible. It is done by the })uller taking hold of a small 

 quantity near the top as it stands, and carefully pulling it up, keeping the root ends 

 even. It is then tied into sheaves or bundles, and set up in the field like wheat. Rip- 

 pling is the next process, and is done by a machine containing a row of upright teeth 

 so adjusted as to take oft" the seed, leaving the fibre uninjured. The Flax Improvement 

 Society of Ireland says that the rippling should take place simultaneously with the 

 pulling — that the flax should not remain in the field the second day, but be rippled 

 immediately and taken to the steeping pla(5e before it hardens. 



At the annual meeting of the Tippecanoe County (Indian;)) Agricultural Society, the 

 principal subject of discussion was the culture of flax, when the [Ion. H. L. Ellsworth, 

 late Commissioner of Patents, stated that — 



" A committee had been sent from Philadelphia to France, Holland, England, and I'russia, for the 

 purpose of examining the modes of cultivation, best soil, etc., and that tlie committee had reported 

 highly favorable aa to the adaptation of our soil and climate for i-aisitig tliis important product. The 

 company who sent this mission abroad possessed a heavy cajiital, which they have invested in the 

 manufacture of the article. They offered to make a contract with him for $1UU,000 worth, and they 

 offered for flax delivered in Philadelphia, equal to Russian, $250 per ton. Mr. E. slated that he had 

 sent by mail for a sample of the quality, and intended to enter into the arrangement provided a sim- 

 ilar kind could be raised upon the prairie lands. He had selected seven or eight different kinds of 

 land, upon which he had sowed different kinds of seed, from one to two bushels to the acre, to test 

 the yield of seed and lint. At the price named, the lint would be worth $40 per acre. There was 

 a machine coming from Springfield for dressing flax. A man and boy with it woik out one and a 

 half tons of stems a day. There can be 1-1 bushels of seed raised to the acre. This will yield nett 

 |6. He had no question but that flax was the best article to cultivate in this country, a.* a greater 

 value could be got into a smaller compass than any other product our soil and climate could raise. 

 If the oil should be manufactured here, the cake would furnish superior fattening food for cattle. It 

 is now sold to export for that purpose. 



" The flax cotton in its second process of preparation has a very strong resemblance to cotton, and 

 is superior in many respects. It has a longer staple. The lint is hollow, cellular, like the human 

 hair. In the chemical agencies employed to prepare it, soda is used to fill these cells. Then an 

 application of a weak solution of sulphuric acid causes a contraction which blows it up. Tlie hypo- 

 chloride of magnesia is then iised to finish it for spinning. Flax cotton thus prepared contains a 

 felting quality, which cotton does not. While alkalies destroy high coloring in cotton, it does not in 

 flax cotton. The latter can be made a very high color. If one-half is mixed with silk, it is almost 

 impossible to tell it from pure silk. It makes fine bagging in a common cotton machine. A mowing 

 machine will cut the crop. A yield of 10 bushels seed and 400 lbs. lint can be safely calculated to 

 the acre. It can also be mixed with wool for winter clothing. Flax cotton bids f;iir to be an article 

 of great export. Mr. E. had offered to raise 1000 acres for the Philadelphia company, if the quality 

 would answer. He expected to see flax cotton sent from here the same as cotton from the south." 



To Reduce Solid Feet to Bushels. — Multiply the number of solid feet by 45 and 

 divide the product by 56; the quotient will be the number of bushels. 



Reason. — As one bushel contains 2150| inches,- one solid foot is ff of a bushel. 

 Example. — How many bushels in a crib or box 8 ft. long, 4 ft. wide, and 2 ft. deep ? 

 8X4X2 = 64, which multiplied by 45 and the product divided by 56, gives 51f ; the 

 - K, number of bushels which the box contains. M. K. — Bentonville, Ind. . P 



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