ROTATION, OB CHANGE OP CROPS. 119 



generally. Seed of New Zealand flax vegetates at any 

 time of the year, and as it seeds freely, even in the warmer 

 latitudes of Queensland, its cultivation could be extended 

 rapidly. 



Flax, Lintseed or Linseed. There are many reasons 

 why linseed might be a general Australian product. I 

 mean as a seed crop. It does well where it has a fair test, 

 and that is somewhat extensively in the southern parts of 

 New South Wales, and to a limited* extent in the north 

 and in Queensland. The yield is from 20 bushels upwards. 

 Marketable seed should be as heavy as wheat, or say 601bs. 

 per bushel. When ground into meal and scalded, it 

 makes excellent feed material for calves and stock, and is 

 decidedly beneticial in dairying. But the main requirement 

 is to make linseed oil, the basis of good paint. The value 

 of the seed in Victoria and in New Zealand, in both of 

 which are oil mills, is from 6s. to 8s. per bushel. And as 

 the crop is much less exhausting on land than either 

 wheat or corn, the value to the farmer becomes evident. 



Cultivation. There is no special requirement in the 

 farming of linseed. It- is a summer crop, sown as for 

 wheat, and cultivated much the same. Good com land 

 answers. Linseed, for daily feed, is extending in the 

 southern districts, but is just as suitable for the central 

 and northern districts, or in other parts where the 

 rainfall is sufficient to bring on fair crops of maize. 



BROOM COIIN. The fibre from which " American 

 brooms" are made is got from a variety of millet, or 

 sorghum. It has been grown in various parts of Australia, 

 and does as well as the millets usually do here, and that is 

 as well as in any part of the world. But, hitherto, as a 

 crop, this variety has not made headway. The prospects 

 ought to be better now, because several broom factories are 

 at work in the colonies, and no doubt they would purchase 

 from Australian growers, could they get the material as 

 good as that brought from America. 



Cultivation. Fairly good maize land does for the 

 cultivation of broom corn. The season for sowing is the 

 same as for maize. It does all the better in rich land, and 

 takes kindly to manuring as a means of increasing the 



