160 PRODUCTIVE FARMING 



which it yields. The best qualities are used in weaving the 

 finest linen fabrics, and the dark, coarse fibres, called tow, 

 are used for heavy cloth bagging and for twine. 



The leading States in the growth of flax seed are North 

 Dakota, South Dakota, and Minnesota ; but Argentina 

 produces more seed than any other country of the world. 

 About four-fifths of the tiax fibre of the world is grown in 

 Russia. 



Growing the Crop. The plant is an annual with pur- 

 ple blossoms. It is not related to the cereal grains. It 

 is sown in the spring, new land being preferred for its 

 growth. Prairie sod land is often selected for growing the 

 crop. It is best to " break" it in the fall and disk it the next 

 spring. 



Three pecks of seed to the acre will produce a good stand 

 if put in with a grain drill. If a fibre crop is desired two or 

 three times as much seed is planted so the plants will not 

 branch so much and the fibre will not be so coarse. 



No culture is required and little attention is given the 

 crop until harvest time. 



Harvesting Flax. The grain crop is usually harvested 

 by use of a grain binder, and the threshing and cleaning is 

 done with a common threshing machine. Yields vary from 

 eight to fifteen bushels per acre. 



The fibre crop is usually pulled by hand, as much of the 

 best fibre is hi the tap roots and lower part of the stems. 

 The plants are tied in bundles and placed in shocks for a 

 short time before delivery to the fibre works. Growers some- 

 times strip off the heads before selling the stems. 



The crop grown for fibre is chiefly of a different variety 

 from that grown for seed. It must be entirely free from weeds. 



To obtain flax fibre from the plants, the bast or inner 

 "bark" must be separated from the inner pith and other 

 parts of the stem. To do this the bundles are spread out for 

 the retting process in the rain and weather for several weeks. 



