308 



THE FLAX CROP. 



always be given to the cattle ; while by the last of the 

 processes of preparation described that of dissolving out 

 the extractive matter by water, instead of destroying it 

 by fermentation the whole of the dried juices are ren- 

 dered directly available and valuable for feeding purposes, 

 the woody centre, or "shove," alone remaining unused, 

 and this also may be utilized as fuel material. 



When the crop is grown for both seeds and fibre, and 

 allowed to come to full maturity before being harvested, 

 the straw averages about two-thirds of the entire weight 

 of the crop, and the seed- capsules about one-third. 

 These latter again are separated for use by the winnower, 

 when the seeds generally give about three-fourths, or from 

 70 to 80 per cent., and the "bolls" one-fourth, or from 20 

 to 30 per cent., by weight of the produce operated upon. 



The proximate composition of various specimens of flax- 

 seed is thus given : 



The mean results of the analysis of these samples are- 



The ash or inorganic matter contained in the seed 

 averages between 3 per cent, and 4-5 per cent.; in the 

 straw about 5 per cent. Its composition varies with the 

 country and soils in which the samples examined have 



