318 



THE FLAX CEOP. 



very nearly double in the same time. In estimating the 

 quantity of linseed " cake " annually consumed in this 

 country, Dr. Anderson says, in reference to the large 

 quantities in seed imported, that "it must be borne in 

 mind that linseed is used for other purposes besides those 

 of the oil-crusher ; but the quantity diverted to these uses 

 is not large, and I have ascertained, from the best infor- 

 mation at my command, that the flax seed grown in this 

 country, and of which no account is taken in these calcu- 

 lations, will be sufficient to cover all that is used for 

 seed, in medicine, &c., leaving the whole of that imported 

 free for the manufacture of cake. At 53 Ibs. per bushel, 

 which is rather a low average, 1,001,552 quarters of 

 linseed (the average imports of the last four years) must 

 weigh 189,568 tons, which, allowing 25 per cent, for loss 

 of weight in the process, must yield 142,156 tons of cake, 

 which, at the average price of 9 per ton, must be worth 

 1,279,404."" According to these figures, then, the fol- 

 lowing will be a good approximative statement of our 

 annual consumption of linseed-cake, and its cost:- 



From 85,952 (average of last four years) tons of imported 

 cake of all kinds, deduct 25 per cent, for rape and 

 other imported cakes, which leaves 64,464 tons, at 8, 515,712 



142,156 tons of home-made cake, at 9, 1,279,404 



1 Quantity of Oil-cake imported. 



1843, 73,029 tons. 



1849, 59,462 



1850, 65,055 



1851, 55,096 



1852, 53,616 



1853, 64,475 



1854, 76,230 



1855, 80,659 



1856, 83,256 



1857, 99,265 



1858, 



80,269 



The oil-cakes include that made from rape and other oil-seeds. 

 bably amount to about 25 per cent, of the whole quantity. 



1,795,116 



Quantity of Linseed imported. 



1848, 799, 650 quarters. 



1849, 626,495 



1850, 608,984 



1851, 630,471 



1852, 799,402 



1853, 1,035,335 



1854, 828,513 



1855, 756,951 



1856, 1,180,180 



1857, 1,051,113 



1858, 1,017,844 



These pro- 



