AGRICULTURAL, llUSEUIVr. 3il 



he injured by Spring* frosts, will cause the Cultivator to 

 he more attentive to the advance of the Season, than 

 the time of sowing; judging, as it is prudent in mauy 

 other cases, by the progress of vegetation in trees, or 

 shrubs which are slow in foliating. Should not the crop 

 of Flax promise well at the time for weeding, the farmer 

 seldom bestows that expence upon it; believing it better 

 to sow the ground in Turnips, or some other crop, which 

 the season admits of being substituted in lieu thereof. 



The flax crop is tliere usually fit for pulling towards 

 the end of the month of July, or early in August, some- 

 what depending on tlie quality of tlie Flax wanted. The 

 line being best when the Flax is pulled after the seed is 

 completely formed, but before it is ripe. If the Flax is 

 sulYered to stand until its seed is matured, it is of an in- 

 ferior quality ; the fibre is harsh, and the linen manufac- 

 tured from it neither bleaches with the same facility, nor 

 acquires the same degree 0/ whiteness with that pulled 

 earlier. 



They reap, or more pr op ci]y pull the Flax, by grasp- 

 ing the full sized plants in one hand near the top, and, 

 either pulling them up, or breaking tl)em off near the 

 roots; the olher hand receives the handiiils as pulled, 

 until as much is gathered as both hands qan hold. Some 

 of the short or underling Fldx is then pulled, and formed 

 into a band for binding these small sheaves. After this 

 the small shet^ves are collected together and carried to 

 the watering pit, in which they are comjiletely immersed 

 and trodden down, after which they are covered with 

 sods or turf of grass, or any liiing which will admit of 

 lacing loaded, for the purpose of keeping the Flax cover- 

 ed by water. This is a process which requires great 

 care and management, for if it is sutYercd to rise above 

 the surface of the water, the quality of the Flax is con- 

 siderably injured. The time which they suffer Flax to, 

 lie in the pit depends on the state of the weather, lliQ 

 Ivind of water, or other circumstances. It must lie un- 

 til the stem is rotten, but whilst the fibre of the bark 

 remains uninjured, which requires frequent tiials OT 



