CHAPTER XXVIII 

 FLAX 



FLAX is one of the oldest cultivated crops, since its value as a 

 fiber plant was discovered very early by mankind. 



The great use of flaxseed as a source of oil is largely a modern 

 development, while the use of flax fiber has declined since the 

 development of cotton culture. 



Importance of the Crop. At present most of the world's flax 

 crop (Fig. 88) is grown for oil rather than fiber. 



Average Production of Flaxseed 1919-1921 



Country Flaxseed bushels Flax fiber pounds 



Argentina 30,800.000 



India 15,586,000 



United States 10,466,000 



Canada 6,508,000 



Total 63,360,000 (Excluding Russia) 



Grand total seed and 



fiber (1918-1920) . 66,637,000 206,223,000 



(Excluding Russia) 



Russia 1 19,772,000 1,022,484,000 



In North America flax culture has largely followed the breaking 

 up of new prairie lands, being especially adapted to grow on new 

 sod lands. The three leading States are : 



Production in the United States, 1919-1921 

 State Bushels 



North Dakota 3,186,000 



Minnesota 2,690,000 



South Dakota 1,575,000 



Montana 888,000 



Total 8,339,000 



Total United States ... 8,714,000 



These States produce about 90 per cent of the United States flax 

 crop (Fig. 89). Flax culture is also developing rapidly in the new 

 territory of Canada. 



Description. The Latin name of flax is Linum, from which 

 we get our words line, linen, lint, and linseed. Botanists recognize 

 135 species of plants belonging to the flax family, but only one of 

 these has been brought under cultivation as a farm crop, though 

 several are cultivated as ornamentals. 



The common flax has bright blue flowers, but there is also, a 

 white flowered sort, sometimes called Dutch flax. Flax is a slender 

 branching plant, eighteen to thirty-six inches high, terminated by 

 numerous "seed balls" (Fig. 90), each normally containing ten 

 seeds. 



figures are for 1909-1913. 



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