208 



what is still worse, returns nothing to the soil. Besides, if all 

 were to grow first-rate flax, the price would become lower than 

 that of the coarser sorts, and we should be placed in a predi- 

 cament similar to that of Ireland for the want of the latter 

 article last year, as the following passage from my pamphlet, 

 entitled, * Extracts from Ancient and Modern Writers on the 

 Flax Crop,' will show ; page 13: "It was announced, that actually 

 coarse flax, for spinning low numbers, was now so difficult to 

 be obtained here, in consequence of the improvement of the 

 quality of the crop this season in Ireland, that the Belfast 

 spinners were importing largely from the Baltic, and that four 

 cargoes had arrived at our quays since the 10th instant. The 

 gentleman who stated this circumstance observed, that he had 

 been obliged to send his son to Dundee, to purchase the supply 

 of the article in question required by him." 



With regard to the cattle-compound, unquestionably its su- 

 periority centres in the linseed meal. Upon this point I never 

 before heard a doubt surmised. Four years have now elapsed 

 since its discovery, during which time, innumerable experi- 

 ments have been made and published, of which Mr. Postle's 

 will ever stand the foremost. 



Thousands of sheep and bullocks have been, and thousands 

 are now being, fattened upon linseed, formed into compound, 

 in many parts of the kingdom. Under these circumstances, the 

 doubt expressed in your agricultural report is to me an inex- 

 plicable, though at the same time an amusing, anomaly. 



Without the use of linseed, the attempt profitably to fatten 

 cattle upon grain or pulse, would be unavailing. I speak from 

 the result of varied experiments, during the progress of which 

 I ascertained that it was of little consequence with what ingre- 

 dients compounds are made, provided a due proportion of 

 linseed be not omitted. For instance, since last July, instead 

 of corn, I have used an extra quantity of linseed meal, which 

 being intimately incorporated with turnips reduced to a pulp, 

 and with ordinary hay cut short, forms a compound, or rather a 

 mass, that I find equally efficacious and less expensive ; the 

 description and effects of which are clearly stated in the eighth 

 number of this series. 



To lay down any general rule for making compound would 



