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Agriculture of the West Riding of Yorkshire. By 

 Robert Brown, farmer. 



Flax. — This is a plant which has never been popular in 

 Britain, and notwithstanding the premiums which have been 

 so long bestowed upon those Avho raised it, the quantity 

 annually sown does not appear to be on the increase. Many 

 parts of this island are naturally fitted for producing it, and 

 none more than that large tract of ground upon the banks of 

 the Ouse, situated in this Riding. In the neighbourhood of 

 Selby a considerable quantity is annually raised; and from 

 the list of the claims given in to the clerk of the peace for the 

 West Riding, it appeared that the parliamentary bounty was 

 claimed in the year 1793 for no less a quantity than 59,000 

 stones. From our own experience (having formerly sown 

 many acres with flax) we can say with confidence that, upon a 

 proper soil, no other crop will pay the farmer better than flax ; 

 and if due pains and attention are bestowed upon the pulling, 

 watering, and scutching, flax of as good a quality may be 

 produced at home as what is imported from Holland or the 

 Baltic. 



The produce of an acre of flax will be from 24 to 40 stones 

 avoirdupois, after it is clean scutched. This operation is 

 performed by the hand in the West Riding, there being no 

 mills erected in that part of the country for this purpose. 

 Some of the flax is allowed to stand for seed, which of course 

 renders the flax of less value. 



We have found inferior soils, such as new broken up muirs, 

 as well fitted for raising seed as others of a better quality; 

 and they have this advantage, that while the rent is but small, 

 the trouble of weeding them is equally trifling. Besides, 

 seed and flax ought never to be attempted together; when 

 the former is intended the ground ought to be sown much 

 thinner, so as the plant may have sufficient air to fill the bolls ; 

 whereas, when the flax itself is considered as the object, it 

 ought to be sown much thicker, to prevent it from forking and 

 becoming coarse ; we believe a neglect of these things has con- 



