56 



EXTRACTS FROM ANCIENT AND MODERN WRITERS 

 ON THE FLAX CROP. 



The following extracts from ancient and modern writers on 

 the flax crop will show that my own views and experience 

 accord in a remarkable degree with those of former writers — 

 writers who longed to see the day when their works, instead 

 of being thit)wn upon the shelves of Agricultural boards, 

 should find that patriotic support which my present attempt 

 has had the good fortune to obtain — writers who lived in 

 times when the union of agricultural interests was never 

 resorted to for the benefit of the community. Hence their 

 constant recourse to Government, and their too frequent dis- 

 appointment, which, I think, the failure of providing Great 

 Britain with a supply of home-grown flax commensurate to 

 the demand does most clearly exemplify. For it is evident 

 that parliament was not only convinced of the suitability of 

 our soil and climate to the growth of flax, but also of the 

 important results that would accrue from its introduction into 

 the routine of British husbandry. 



Flax was first introduced into England by the Romans. 

 In 1175 it was classed amongst all titheable productions. In 

 1531 a statute was enacted, requiring that, under certain 

 penalties, " for every sixty acres of land fit for tillage, one 

 rood should be sown with flax and hemp-seed."* From that 

 period to 1767 many unsuccessful attempts were made to 

 extend and improve the cultivation and preparation of flax. 

 In the latter year several thousand pounds were proposed to 

 be divided amongst the successful cultivators of the plant. 

 About the year 1798 a bounty of 4^. per stone was given to 

 claimants for the growth of flax. " In 1810 a new method of 

 dressing flax was proposed by Mr. Lee, who not only patented 

 the invention, but obtained an act of parliament by which the 



* In the register of Pulham St. Mary fines paid for the non-fUlfilment of 

 this law are recorded. 



