THE GENESEE FARMER 



179 



pueumonia, pleurisy, consumption, and other pectoral 

 affections ; and appears to be decidedly useful if ap- 

 l)lied in the early stages, or after sufficient depletion, 

 when the comjjlaint is already formed. Its popular 

 name of pleurisy-root expresses the estimation in 

 whicli it is held as a remedy in that disease. It has 

 also l)eeu used advantageously in djsentery and acute 

 rheumatism, and might probably prove beneficial in 

 our autumal remittents. Much testimony might be 

 advanced in proof of its possessing very considerable 

 diaphoretic powers. It is said also to be gently tonic, 

 and has been popularly employed in pains of the 

 stomach arising from flatulence and indigestion ; 

 from twenty grains to a drachm of the root in powder, 

 may be given several times a day. But as a diaphor- 

 etic it is best administered in decoction or infusion, 

 made in the proportion of an ounce to a quart of 

 water, and given in the dose of a teacupful every two 

 or three hours till it operates. 



Before concluding, I would ask whether you or any 

 of your readers ever knew of this plant producing 

 lint, and if so, whether it has ever been cultivated for 

 that purpose ; if not I think it worthy of a fair trial 

 both for its lint and medical uses, by some of the 

 Agricultural Societies. I shall, however, report my 

 success the coming season. 



Yours, very truly, S. A. Ellis. 



KoscoE, Coshocton Co., 0. 



FLAX-CULTURE IN OHIO. 



Mr. Editor : — Having been a subscriber to your 

 valuable paper for the last two or three years, I do 

 not recollect of seeing anything in regard to the cul- 

 tivation of flax seed. In this section of the country, 

 this staple of produce is pretty extensively cultivated 

 for the manufacturing of oil. In the year 1852, there 

 were raised in this county 136,000 bushels of flax 

 5eed, according to the returns of the assessor. Last 

 year there was n great failure of the crop, owing to 

 the great drouth in the fore part of the season. I 

 oresurae there was not more than one-third of a crop 

 m an average. Now, sir, there is a great difference 

 )f opinion among our liest farmers, whether the cul- 

 ivation of flax is more injurious to the ground than 

 )ats. My principal object in writing this, is to re- 

 (uest that you, or some of your numerous corres- 

 pondents, would analyze the flax and oats, in their 

 lifferent stages of growth, and ascertain what proper- 

 ies they draw from the earth. Our soil here is quite 

 aried. You can seldom find a field of twenty acres 

 vith one kind of soil. Some of it is a stiff clay, some 

 i loose clay, and some of it a dark loamy soil, with a 

 ittle sand mixed with it. In the last mentioned soil, 

 t generally requires under-drainage before it can be 

 nuch used, for in the spring of the year it is Aery 

 pet. 



There are also other differences of opinion in regard 

 this crop. Some contend that the wheat crop 

 'hich generally follows the flax, is not as good — 

 'bile others say that they have raised just as good 

 'heat on flax ground as on oats. Others say that 

 ly cannot raise two crops of flax in succession on 

 le same ground — while others contend that they 

 ive done so. Now, sir, if you or any other person 

 inld test the matter by any chemical experiments, it 



would not only gratify, but benefit a lurge number of 

 farmers in this section of country. 



If you think it is worth publishing, I will give you 

 a brief account of the mode in which it is done here. 

 In the first ])lace the ground is plowed between the 

 6th ami 20th of April, or soon after oats are sown. 

 It is then harrowed with a heavy harrow, and the 

 ground pulverized as much as possible. The seed is 

 then sown at the rate of three pecks per acre — more 

 than this it is considered would be too thick for it to 

 branch well, or less would he considered as not thick 

 enough. After it is sown, go over the ground again 

 with a harrow or large brush. If there should liafh 

 pen to be a heavy rain before it can be harrowed or 

 brushed after the seed is sown, nothing need be done 

 with it, for the rain will beat the seed in the ground 

 sufficient to sprout it. I have raised just as good a 

 crop after the rain has beat it in the ground as if it 

 had been harrowed. As soon as a large majority of 

 the bolls begin to turn brown, commence cutting it 

 with a cradle, taking out the third and fourth fingers 

 in order to make it as light as possible. Cut it so 

 that two swaths will come together — in other words, 

 make a double icinroiv in all cases where it can be 

 done. This will enable the team to pass between 

 them and not run over it. There is no necessity of 

 laying the straw straight like v.heat or oats. After 

 it has lain on the ground some three or four days, 

 (owing a good deal to the dryness of the weather,) 

 the thrashing can be commenced. This is done by 

 trampling it with horses on the barn floor. One or 

 two hands go to the^field after a load, while one or 

 two stay in the barn with the horses. If the flax is 

 very dry, it can be thrashed out as fast as it can be 

 hauled in. In the morning, we have to wait until the 

 dew is off, for if it is damp in the least, it takes a long 

 time to trample it out. I generally arrange it so as 

 to leave a flooring on the floor over night, and by the 

 time the dew gets off in the morning, I have that 

 flooring trampled out. It will not do to leave the 

 load on the wagon over night, for it will commence 

 sweating ; and if the morning should happen to be 

 foggy or damp, it will take until the middle of the day 

 to get it out clean. "When we get some 40, 50, or 60 

 bushels on the floor, we commence cleaning in a wind- 

 mill — generally running it through twice. Some far- 

 mers who have a good deal of barn room, haul it in 

 and mow it away, and thrash it in the winter. 



There is very little use made of the sti'aw in this 

 neighborhood ; some burn it, and some stack it in 

 their barn yards and let their cattle nibljle at it in the 

 winter and tramj^le it into manure. I am told that 

 in the county south of us, the farmers sell it to the 

 paper makers at a good profit ; but they have to 

 trample it more, in order to get as many of the shievea 

 out as possible. I have never seen any of the paper 

 made from the flax tow, but I presume the time will 

 soon come when it will be baled up like cotton, and 

 sent to the Eastern States to be manufactured into 

 paper. I am yours, &c., J. G. Faxninq. 



Eaton, Preble Co., Ohio. 



The spirit of the world encloses four kinds of spirits, 

 diametrically opposed to charity. The spirit of re- 

 sentment, spirit of aversion, spirit of jealousy, and the 

 spirit of indifference. 



