No. 149.] 411 



and eiglity thousand pounds of rougli hemp is required in the 

 corctage, rigging and sails of a first-rate man-of-war. I think 

 England Avill depend upon New-Zealand for her hemps — that cli- 

 mate suits its growth to a charm. An acre in New-Zealand will 

 produce thirteen tons of fresh cut plants, Avhich, when dried, will 

 yield two and a half tons of hemp fit for ropemakers, and six 

 tons of coarse tow fit for ropes of inferior quality, and coarse can- 

 vas. ^ 



Flax (linum usitatissimum) is a plant growing to the height 

 of about two feet two or three inches, with a smooth, slender, 

 hollow stalk ; the stem divides into numerous branches, termi- 

 nated by beautiful, shining, veined flowers, to which seed pods 

 succeed about as large as a pea, each of which contain ten small 

 seeds filled with an oily meal ; the leaves are sharp-pointed, 

 narrow and long. Flax is cultivated more or less in all Euro- 

 pean countries, but can only be brought to lull perfection in a 

 rich, deep, moist soil, of a loamy nature, containing much vege- 

 table matter in its composition. Strong clay soils, or dry gravelly 

 soils, do not answer well for flax. If the soil is made too rich 

 by the application of manures it will grow luxuriantly and yield 

 a coarse fibre ; and if it be too poor the produce will be unremu- 

 nerative. Alluvial soils are peculiarly adapted to its culture 

 and will grow the most valuable crops, as is instanced in Hol- 

 land, where the soil is nearly all of an alluvial formation. This 

 plant may be grown at a great elevation above the level of the 

 sea if the soil is favorable to it — in fact it enjoys a free circula- 

 tion of air, which prevents mildew. 



Flax should be grown in the rotation of cropping, soon after 

 the ground has been plowed from grass ; sometimes it will do 

 "well as the first crop after grass, particularly on a clover lea ; it 

 may succeed oats if the land is in good cultivation, and reduced 

 to fine tilth, devoid of weeds, &c. 



Land prepared for flax varies according to the previous crop. 

 When it has been grass, one plowing will be all sufl&cient, parti- 

 cularly if the ground is well harrowed before the seed is sown. 

 When flax is to be sown after a corn crop, or oats, I would plow 

 the field immediately after the corn is taken off" in the fall, that 



