No. 149.] 401 



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American Institute, 

 Farmers' Club, Feb. 25, 1851. 



THE GROWTH AND CULTIVATION OF FLAX IN THE UNITED STATES. 



Mr. R. T. Underhill, of Croton Point, in the chair. 

 H. Meigs, Esq., Secretary. 



The Chairman announced that flax was the exclusive subject 

 for discussion, and proceeded to remark that the form of the fibre 

 of flax is round, while that of cotton is flat. These tacts are 

 shown by high magnifying powers. Flax, when finely prepared, 

 feels much like silk, and makes a splendid and delightful cloth, 

 cool, a great conductor of heat, susceptible of the finest and fastest 

 dyes, of superior durability, and suitable to the largest portions 

 of the globe — the warm and the temperate regions. We must 

 apply our genius to the question of rendering it as cheap as cotton, 

 for it will grow in vast regions where cotton cannot, and if we 

 do not hasten, the world will soon be before us in garments 

 of fine linen. It would be a great triumph for us, if we can set 

 the world the example of supplying mankind, by machinery, 

 with it, as cheap as cotton. A vast new field ot industry will be 

 opened for us, and our rapidly growing population require it, and 

 all new avenues for prosperous progress. 



The flax fibre, combined with cotton, wool, or with silk, in- 

 creases greatly their durability and strength . Formerly we raised 

 large quantities of flax-seed for export. Now, so low is the price, 

 our farmers give up raising it ; but, as the price is rising now, it 

 will be more extensively cultivated. We must use both the stalk 

 and seed, if we can. It is said that the fibre is more delicate if 

 the flax be pulled before the seed is matured. 



President Tallmadge remarked that this subject is one which 

 has assumed peculiar importance, and I beg to submit a few re- 

 marks upon it. Flax now presents itself, as probably capable of 

 being manufactured by machinery, like cotton, so as to become 

 cheap and common, like that, and as linen spinning and weaving 

 mills are in expectation, as patents already appear in England, 

 to Claussen and to Doland, for such machinery, we must now try 



[Assembly, No. 149.] .AA 



