Proceedings of the Farmer^ Club. 535 



will not grow successfully on soils exclusively clay, sand or gi-avel. 

 On river bottoms, it lodges by reason of rapid growth. The same 

 may be said of laud that is highly manured, with the additional 

 drawback of weeds. Herein lies the difficulty of pulling flax by 

 machinery, as no machine will sort out the weeds, and green weeds 

 iu the bundle will spoil the fiber. 



In this part of the State, where it has been raised for many 

 years, it does not grow so well as formerly, which is conclusive 

 evidence that it takes something from the soil that ordinary farm- 

 ing doe^ not replace. 



Mr. Alfred Young, Gustavus, Ohio, recommends the feeding of 

 flax straw to cattle. I think that they would eat shavings quite 

 as readily. 



A good acre of flax will yield ten bushels of seed, which is now 

 worth about $2.50 per bushel, and three hundred pounds of lint, 

 which is worth fifteen cents per pound, making the total product of 

 an acre $70. The cost of producing is, say $5 for getting in, $3 for 

 seed, $10 for pulling, and $10 more for drawing in, whipping, 

 spreading, taking up, and drawing to mill, and $15 more for dress- 

 ing, making a total expense of $43 per acre, leaving a profit of 

 about $27. There have been instances when as much as twenty 

 bushels of seed have been produced from one acre, but this is rare. 

 Five hundred pounds of lint is sometimes grown on the same space. 

 Let no one attempt to grow this crop except where workmen are 

 plentiful, for, when the time comes for harvesting it will brook.no 

 delay. All who raise it are in favor of much larger duties on the 

 imported article than our legislators have ever seen fit to bestow. 



PRESERVING TEMBEB, 



Mr. Chas. S. Clarke, Harrisburg, Ohio, suggests that when settlers 

 go into the wilderness they reserve belts of timber around theii* 

 farms, and even across intended fields or boundaries; also, to spare 

 beautiful groves and specimens, which he thinks would be a much 

 better plan than to clear oflf all the timber, leaving to the next 

 generation the alternative to plant or go without. 



Mr. N. C. Meeker. — This plan of Mr. Clarke ought to receive 

 the attention of all new settlers in timbered countries. There is a 

 distinction, however, in timber. In Northern Ohio, Western New 

 York, Western Pennsylvania, and in many parts of Michigan, where 

 the timber grows very tall, close on the ground, and is straight- 

 grained and brush, belts of timber survive but a few years, for 



