TILLAGE TREATMENT TIME OF HAltVESTING. 275 



basket or open bag suspended from the neck receives the 

 weeds, which are collected from time to time by the over- 

 looker, and carried off the field. As this operation can 

 only be done once, it is important that it be done effectu- 

 ally, and every weed is by these means removed from the 

 field. Care and consideration are required as to the best 

 time for the work, as if left too late the plant is liable to 

 be injured by the pressure of the weeders; the precaution, 

 too, is always taken of working against the wind, in order 

 to give the young plant the advantage that might arise 

 from the action of the wind in assisting it to recover its 

 erect position as quickly as possible. 



In about ten weeks after the plant appears above the 

 ground it has completed its growth, and flowering com- 

 mences, the whole field then assuming a very beautiful 

 appearance. The flowers, if the crop be evenly grown, 

 come pretty well together, and do not last long, and are 

 followed by the "capsules," or " bolls/' containing the seed. 

 At this period of the growth of the crop, the considera- 

 tion as to the proper time of harvesting it first presents 

 itself. This has an important bearing upon the value 

 of the produce, and must be mainly determined by the 

 purpose for which the crop was grown. If the fibre be 

 the only object, in some places the flax is pulled directly 

 it begins to flower, under the idea that at that period the 

 tissues of the plant are finer, and, although the produce is 

 less, it secures the best qualities of fibre ; more generally, 

 however, it is left until the stem begins to change colour 

 at the bottom, when it is at once pulled, and considered 

 to be in the best condition for steeping, no attention being 

 paid at all to the seed. 



When both fibre and seed produce are desired, careful 

 observation on the part of the grower is required, as much 

 depends upon his judgment both as to the quantity and 

 quality of his produce. The seed-vessels or capsules are 



