rP 95 



the prize flax was produced, and for colour and texture was 

 certainly very beautiful.) 

 '• The first valuable information on flax^ obtained here, was 

 from a Dutchman, Mr. Boss, brought here by the late Irish 

 Linen Board. Mr. Boss was correct in all his principles, while 

 he was evidently not quite an adept in practice ; for, in all the 

 lots of which he undertook the management, he totally failed : 

 he not only failed to produce superior flax, but he destroyed all 

 he treated. This ill success arose from applying the Dutch 

 system, in every particular, in a soil and climate materially 

 different; whilst the same system, with such modifications as 

 those differences suggest, has proved useful to all who have 

 attended to it. I will state more clearly by taking each part 

 under a separate head. 



" Land. — I have ever observed the best flax to be grown on 

 crofting ground, sound, dry (but not gravelly), and deep, on a 

 clay subsoil. Loam and helming lands produce a splendid ap- 

 pearance, whilst growing, but the yield is rarely equal to the 

 appearance, and still more rarely do such lands give the fine 

 fibre now so much valued. On lands, saturated with either 

 underground or surface water, good flax cannot be expected. 

 There cannot be a doubt, that thorough-draining and subsoil- 

 ing will enable this country to produce largely such flax as can 

 now be procured only in small samples and isolated instances. 

 I have no doubt that nine in ten of the failures of this crop 

 arise from the filtration of water too near the surface, and that 

 of the numerous other reasons for missed crops usually 

 assigned, almost every one is imaginary. 



" Rotation. — Without method there cannot be success. Dif- 

 ferent soils require difference in rotation, and suit different 

 crops. I will speak only of that I use. My farm is a strong 

 and pretty deep clay croft, and has proved well suited to flax ; 

 therefore, I use that crop more frequently (say twice in the 

 course) than will be generally found advisable. First, potatoes 

 or turnips drilled, well cleaned, manured, and limed; second, 

 wheat ; third, flax, with which clover and grass-seeds are sown ; 

 fourth, hay, the ground being top-tossed with soot ; fifth, graz- 



