9 . YORKSHIRE. 77 



in fome meafufe upon its length ; and this 

 upon its evennefs and clofenefs upon the ground. 

 The (terns fhou Id be tall, firelight, w\AJlender. 

 Three feet high is a good length of ftem ; 

 and the thicknefs of a crow's quill a good 

 thicknefs. A fine (talk affords more line and 

 fewer ihivers than a thick one does. A tall, 

 tbickfet crop is therefore dcfirable* 



But, unlefs the LAND BE GOOD, a thick crop 

 cannot attain a fufficient length of ftem. Hence 

 the folly of fowing flax on land which is unfit 

 for it. 



Neverthelefs, with a SUITABLE SOIL, zfuffi~ 

 ciency of feed, evenly diftributcd, and a. favourable 

 feafon, flax may turn out a very profitable 

 crop. 



The flax crop, however, has its MSADVAN- 

 TAGES : it interferes with harveft, and is ge- 

 nerally believed to be a great exhaufter of the 

 foil, efpecially when its feed is fuffcred ttf 

 mature *. 



Its 



* In this cafe, the flieaflets are fet up in ftooks in rhe 

 field, and, when dry, are curried to the barn, thraflie ..', 

 rated, font to the watering-pit^ and treated as primt 



