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tar than the foreign to manufacture it into cordage. But as 

 tar is cheaper than hemp, they use this argument only because 

 there is less profit arises to them from working it. This is 

 therefore a substantial argument in its favour. And this 

 inference may be justly drawn from the objection, viz., that 

 the cordage made of English hemp, when compared with that 

 of the same dimensions worked with foreign, must be stronger 

 in proportion as there is more hemp and less tar in it, provided 

 there be a sufficient quantity to unite the fibres together ; 

 hemp being a stronger and more durable substance than tar. 



One peculiar advantage attending the cultivation of hemp 

 and flax is, that a crop of the former prepares the land for the 

 latter, and therefore a crop of hemp is a clear gain to the 

 farmer. That these plants impoverish the soil is a meke 



VULGAR NOTION, DEVOID OF ALL TRUTH. ThE BEST HISTORICAL 

 RELATIONS, AND THE VERBAL ACCOUNTS OF HONEST INGIINIOUS 

 PLANTERS, CONCUR IN DECLARING IT TO BE A VAIN PREJUDICE, 

 UNSUPPORTED BY ANY AUTHORITY J AND THAT THESE CROPS 

 REALLY MELIORATE AND IMPROVE THE SOIL. 



Therefore as hemp and flax can be raised at home so much 

 to the improvement of our lands, the employment of our poor, 

 and the interest of the nation at large, I am very solicitous 

 that this subject may come seriously under the consideration 

 of your Annual Meeting, and receive all possible encourage- 

 ment from your public-spirited and truly laudable Society. 



At the Annual Meeting of the Tenants of tlte Earl of Erne's Estate 

 in Ireland, Capt. Skinner, the benevolent and zealous Secretary 

 of the Irish Flax Improvement Society, addressed the meeting ; 

 from whose speech I take the following brief and important 

 extract : — 



Three years since the quantity of Irish flax grown was com- 

 y)uted to be about 25,000 tons. The increase of value upon 

 this amount eff'ected through the exertions of the Society was, 

 at the least, taking a general average, 10/. per cent., which 

 would gain a sum of 250,000/. additional in circulation among 

 our farmers. (Loud cheers.) But, my Lord Erne, it is now 

 understood by calculations, there will be fully 14,200 tons of 



