264 THE FLAX CROP. 



with delicate branching round stem, from 18 to 24 inches, 

 covered thinly with narrow glaucous three-ribbed leaves, 

 and bearing at the ends pale blue shiny flowers. The 

 flower-heads possess four, or more commonly five sepals ; 

 the petals are always equal in number with the sepals ; the 

 stamens are also equal in number and alternate with them. 

 The flowers are succeeded by a seed-pod, or ovarium, agricul- 

 turally known as the "boll," or "capsule/' with ten divi- 

 sions, or rather five perfect cells, which are again separated 

 by an imperfect partition, extending from its outer wall. 

 In each of these cells is found a single seed, of a flattened 

 oval shape, of a more or less dark brown colour, mucila- 

 ginous to the taste, and containing a large proportion of 

 a brownish yellow oil, possessing the peculiar though 

 slight smell 'characterizing linseed oil. This oil is readily 

 obtained by pressure from the seed ; the residuum being 

 the well-known feeding substance termed linseed cake. 

 Dr. Lindley tells us that there are two very different varie- 

 ties of the L. usitatissimum in cultivation, though in the 

 markets the produce fibre as well as seed is classed 

 together under the same names, and used for the same 

 purposes. The L. Jmmile or crepitans (the Springlein 

 of the Germans), is a plant somewhat shorter and more 

 inclined to branch than the common flax, and possesses 

 larger capsules, twice as long as the calyx, which burst 

 with considerable elasticity when" ripe; its seeds, too, are 

 both larger and of a paler colour. A great deal of the 

 linseed which is imported from India and other eastern 

 countries is the produce of this variety. The L. usitatis- 

 simum (the Winterlein of the Germans), or true Winter 

 flax, has smaller capsules, scarcely longer than the calyx, 

 not bursting with elasticity when ripe, but firmly retain- 

 ing their contents, which are of a darker brown colour. 

 These distinctions, which are certainly of practical import- 

 ance in an agricultural point of view, do not seem to have 



