FLAX. 281 



done some time before sowing, to give time for weeds in 

 the land to spring up, and these, when harrowing in the 

 flax seed, will be killed. To give an even surface, and to 

 consolidate the land, the land should be rolled after the 

 last harrowing ; this to be again broken up with a short- 

 toothed or seed harrow before sowing; this to be up and 

 down, not across the ridges, or angularly. " The seed best 

 adopted for the generality of soils is Riga, although Dutch 

 has been used in many districts of the country for a series 

 of years with perfect success. American seed does not 

 generally suit well, as it is apt to produce a coarse branchy 

 stem ; if used, it should be in deep loamy soils. In buy- 

 ing seed, select it plump, shining, and heavy, and of the 

 best brands, from a respectable merchant. Sift it clean of 

 all the seeds of weeds, which will save a great deal of after 

 trouble when the crop is growing. This may be done by 

 fanners, and through a wire sieve twelve bars to the inch. 

 Home saved seed has produced such excellent crops of late, 

 that it is strongly recommended that every farmer should 

 only sow, each year, as much foreign seed as would pro- 

 duce a sufficient quantity for his flax crop of the following 

 season. (The produce of seed averages about 12$tmshels 

 the statute acre, so that the seed saved off one statute acre 

 will sow about 5.) The thinner portion of the crop would 

 be the best for this purpose, as when flax grows thin it 

 produces much seed. This plan, besides the saving effected 

 in the price of foreign sowing seed, would effectually secure 

 the farmer from any danger of loss from fraudulently made- 

 up seed. It will be best in most cases to use the seed 

 tvhich is saved from this, in the following year, for feeding, 

 or to sell it for the oil-mills, although it often produces 

 good crops. The proportion of seed may be stated at 3J 

 imperial bushels to the Irish, or plantation acre, and so on 

 in proportion to the Scotch or Cunningham, and the Eng- 

 lish or statute acre." With thick sowing, the fibre pro- 

 duced is of greater length and fineness than in thin sowing ; 

 in the former case, the stem grows tall and straight, pro- 

 ducing little seed ; whereas, in the latter, the plant grows 



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