USES OF FLAX SEED 251 



Because of the common practice of growing it only on new 

 land, no definite rotations containing flax have yet been 

 established by farmers or experimenters. It is known, 

 however, that to escape injury from flax diseases, this crop 

 should not be grown on a field more frequently than once in 

 five years, and better results are obtained where a cultivated 

 crop and a grass crop are included in the rotation than where 

 small grains alone are grown. 



311. Uses of Flaxseed. Practically all of the flaxseed 

 produced in the United States is utilized in the manufacture 



Fig. 83. A linseed oil mill, with steel tanks at the right for 

 storing the flaxseed. 



of linseed oil. There are two methods of extracting the oil 

 from the seed, known as the old process and the new process. 

 The old process consists of crushing the seed, heating it to 

 about 165 F., and placing it in sacks or between cloths 

 and forcing the oil out by pressure. The new process differs 

 from this in that the crushed and heated seed is placed in 

 tanks or cylinders and treated with naptha to extract the 

 oil. This oil is then used in the manufacture of paints, 



