59 



lation, to find employment for which all the skill of scientific 

 men, and all the efforts of a powerful government, are at a 

 stand. 



It is to the indirect advantages of growing flax that I 

 would attract public attention, because they are infinitely 

 greater than the direct. Nor can they be rightly estimated 

 till experience has made them sure. The direct return in 

 money is a trifle compared with the immeasurable benefits 

 that must accrue from an employed population. I have 

 sho'.vn in my writings the value of the flax crop in this and in 

 foreign countries. Also, that five hundred thousand acres are 

 required to supply the demand of this country alone. Now 

 when we consider how inadequately the soil remunerates 

 under our present system of farming, and the consequent 

 depression of trade,' it surely must be acknowledged that the 

 appropriation of such an immense breadth of land to the 

 growth of this prolific plant would be attended with the most 

 beneficial results throughout the kingdom. For instance, the 

 average value of five hundred thousand acres of flax, inde- 

 pendent of the seed, exceeds five millions of money. 



This enormous sum is annually sent out of England to 

 purchase foreign flax of foreign farmers, to the employment 

 of foreign labourers, and to the encouragement of foreign 

 agriculture. 



The scheme undoubtedly appears chimerical to many ; but 

 it ought to be remembered that mankind is generally more 

 hasty in condemning new theories than anxious to ascertain 

 whether or not those theories are founded upon sound orin- 

 ciplcs. 



Thus did the substitution of cattle-compound for foreign 

 oil-cake undergo the ordeal of a vehement opposition; but 

 now the opposers have become its most zealous advocates ; and 

 1 venture to predict that similar results will attend the culti- 

 vation of flax. 



My motives for inserting extracts from the writings of others 

 are to show the progress made in the culture of flax, and to 

 prove that my views and arguments are neither new noi 

 visionary, but are borne out by the reasoning of powerful 

 minds long since removed from the prejudices and politics of 

 the present day. 



