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plicable to the production of clothing through native rather 

 than foreign cultivators. " Men," he adds, "are not surely 

 condemned to one species of labour that will not maintain a 

 feverish existence, to the exclusion of another that ensures 

 plenty. It is the business of the rich to find out new sources 

 of employment for men at all times willing, and now more than 

 ever anxious, to provide food for themselves and families." 



In my former writings 1 have shown, from Parliamentary 

 Returns, and from other documents, that five or six millions 

 are annually sent out of this country for the purchase of flax> 

 to the encouragement of foreign farmers, and to the employ- 

 ment of foreign labourers. 



I have shown that flax is a highly prolific crop, and, under 

 the new system of management, improves the soil; that it 

 affords more varied and permanent occupation than any other 

 production of the earth ; and that the most ordinary land in 

 the kingdom is capable of producing it. 



I have shown that the appropriation of one acre to every 

 hundred now in cultivation, to the growth of this important 

 plant, would employ the redundant rural and manufacturing 

 population of this country; and produce in one year more 

 than double the weight of seed to fatten cattle, that was ever 

 imported of oil- cake in the same period. 



I have also shown that the genius of the people is suited to 

 the management of flax; and the wealthy spinners of England, 

 of Scotland, and of Ireland, are anxious to purchase our crops ; 

 and, as a further confirmation, I refer to the first annual re- 

 port of the National Flax and Agricultural Improvement 

 Association. 



The appropriation of land to the growth of flax with the 

 view of finding employment for the poor, must necessarily be 

 increased in parishes where idle hands abound the most. In 

 such, two, or possibly three acres in every hundred would be 

 required, while others might be exempt altogether. Still it 

 would be found that, on the average, were one acre to a hun- 

 dred sown, the redundant population would not be sufficient 

 to prepare the crops for market ; and the supply of flax 

 and linseed would be inadequate to the increasing demands of 

 the manufacturers and graziers of this country. 



