252 FIELD CROPS 



varnishes, oilcloth or linoleum (in combination with ground 

 cork), and various other articles. The meal from which the 

 oil has been extracted is used for feeding to stock, either as 

 it comes from the presses as oilcake, or crushed or ground 

 into the form known as oilmeal or linseed meal. Oilmeal is 

 very rich in protein, and is used for feeding to dairy cows and 

 to other animals. On account of its richness, it must be fed 

 in small quantities, in combination with other grains. Whole 

 flaxseed is seldom fed to stock, for it is too high in price as 

 compared with other grains. Flax straw is not usually 

 regarded as a feeding stuff of value, though it contains con- 

 siderable nutriment. In years when other forage is scarce, 

 however, it is quite a useful feed. The straw is now utilized 

 to some extent in this country in the manufacture of twine, 

 coarse bagging, tow for upholstering, and felting material. 

 312. Improvement of the Crop. While the growing of 

 fiber flax may never become an important industry in the 

 United States, more attention can well be given to the pro- 

 duction of better grades of straw for the mills which utilize 

 it in the manufacture of twine and other articles. The farmer 

 thus gets a double return for his crop in the sale of both the 

 seed and the straw. Selection of plants that have the 

 longest straw combined with a good yield of seed will greatly 

 improve the quality of the straw for fiber purposes. On the 

 other hand, the selection of heavy-yielding plants and their 

 increase into sufficient quantities for field planting can be 

 carried out along the lines recommended for the improve- 

 ment of the small grains (See index) . The greatest improve- 

 ment, however, can be made by developing wilt-resistant 

 strains. Excellent work has already been done in this 

 direction by Professor Bolley of the North Dakota Experi- 

 ment Station, and others, but much remains to be accom- 



