No. 149.] 433 



tain upon an average more than 2 lbs. of mineral matters, inclu- 

 ding lime, magnesia, oxide of iron, carbonic, phosphoric, sul- 

 phuric acid, and silica. It is the woody parts of the plant, the 

 resinous matter of the seed, with its capsules and husks, which 

 absorb from the soil the phosphoric acid and other fertilizing in- 

 gredients. If the flax, unlike other crops, be not allowed to re- 

 turn anything to the soil ; if the seed be thrown into the steep- 

 pit or " rottery" with the stem of the plant, and food for the cat- 

 tle, the straw or woody parts be rendered perfectly useless for all 

 the purposes of manure, or mixing with cattle food, then undoubt- 

 edly flax, like any other crop, would be in itself an exhausting 

 crop. Eut practical experience, however, has fully proved that 

 under a judicious mode of treatment, so far from being an ex- 

 haustive, flax is actually a renovating crop. Numerous instances 

 might be cited upon this subject. Mr. Edmonds, of Stonehouse, 

 near Plymouth, stated in 1848 : " It is a mistaken opinion that 

 hemp and flax impoverish the land ; from long experience I have 

 found the contrary ; these are crops that make a greater return as 

 to manure tJuin any corn cropP 



Sir Richard O'Donnell, who is one of the largest cultivators of 

 flax in Ireland, and who has grown to the extent of 700 acres in 

 one year, states in the Morning Chronicle^ " As the result of many 

 years' experience, that when grown in its regular rotation, flax 

 is so far from being exhaustive, that it tends greatly to improve 

 the soil and the character of the other crops in the rotation. It 

 is above all most valuable for laying down land after wheat or 

 oats, as the process of pulling the flax, by loosening the earth 

 around the roots, improves greatly the quality of the grass crop." 



Mr. Warnes, whose exertions as a practical agriculturist, to 

 promote the extension of flax culture, are deserving of all praise, 

 and whose system of agriculture rests upon the growth of flax, 

 and the fattening of cattle in boxes, upon the seed, incorporated 

 with the other produce of the farm, both summer and winter, has 

 introduced the flax plant into every rotation upon his farm : and 

 judging from the results of his own experience, he states that no 

 rational assertion can now be urged against the growth of flax, 

 as the improved systems of cultivation and preparation have ren- 



[Assembly, No. 149.] CO 



