212 



to 8/. 5s., or 40 stone of flax included, at 55. per stone, to 1 8/. 

 5^. per acre, independent of the chaff, tow, and broken stalks, 

 which may be set against the straw of other crops. 



How strange the anomaly that involves this perplexing ques- 

 tion, " How is a man to grow linseed without flax ?" and Mr. 

 Gower's assertion, that " If a man tried to grow both at one 

 time he would fail in both ! " To solve these problems is be- 

 yond my power. But I have authority from Mr. Robert At- 

 kinson, of Walcot, to state, that he grew last year, upon an 

 acre of land, instead of turnips^ and without manure, 6 coombs 

 S bushels of linseed, and 2 tons 6 ewt. of coarse and fine flax- 

 stalks. The seed he disposed of at 6^. 6c?. per bushel, and the 

 stalks at 2/. per ton, amounting altogether to 13/. Is. 6c?., ex- 

 clusive of chaff". 



It appears that one ton of stalks, after being steeped and 

 prepared for scutching, will be reduced to nearly half its ori- 

 ginal weight; from which half, about one-fourth only of 

 marketable flax is generally obtained. So that Mr. Atkinson's 

 crop will yield 4G stone of flax, independent of tow, &c., and 

 realize, at 5^. per stone, and at 6s. 6<f. per bushel for the seed, 

 20Z. 55. per acre. This crop is now being worked out upon 

 Mr. Brown's premises at Trimingham, at \s. 9d. per stone for 

 scutching, and 3d. per stone for breaking ; affording 8s. per day 

 to four men. Is. 9d. to two women, and Is. to two girls. My 

 father had six pecks of linseed sown upon a little less than an 

 acre of land, from which he obtained 4 coombs 2 bushels of 

 excellent seed; 37 stone 7 lbs. of fine and coarse flax; 16 stone 

 13 lbs. of tow; about 12 sacks of chaff" ; and 119 stone of broken 

 stalks; the whole of which is estimated at 18Z. 5*. The seed 

 and chaff" were consumed upon the farm ; but the flax, tow, &c., 

 remain for the inspection of any party who may feel disposed 

 to make further inquiry. 



Mr. Deman, of North Walsham, the Belgian flax factor, 

 gives from 20 pence to 2^. per stone for scutching, and Mr. 

 Brown pays 25. ; of which circumstances, I am credibly assured, 

 Mr. Gower was not ignorant. Justice, therefore, required 

 that he should have qualified the statements of his own expe- 

 rience by a candid relation of his neighbours' also, and not 

 have left an erroneous impression on the meeting that flax 



