438 [Assembly 



Seed and Fibre. — It will be found in the first place that the 



profit derived from flax under the present modes of steeping, 



combined with the saving of the seed is considerably greater 



than can be obtained from the cultivation of wheat at present 



prices. Mr. Warnes states that the profit upon 14 acres of flax^. 



grown and prepared by him last year, was upwards of X6 per 



acre over that of his wheat. His figures are. 



& s. d. 



Prepared flax sold at Leeds, ". 238 16 



Valueofseed, 126 



364 16 a 

 Deduct cost of preparing flax, 140 



Gross profit, 224 16 



Talue of produce of 14 acres of wheat, at 38 bushels 

 to the acre, at 40s. per quarter, 133 



Total balance in favor of flax over wheat, not inclu- 

 ding 6 tons, 6 cwt., of husks equal to hay, 26 cwt. 

 oftow,andmany loads of refuse for littering cattle, £91 16 



Seed alone. — The above is an instance in v^hich both the seed 

 and the fibre were saved and prepared. There are cases, how- 

 ever, in which the flax is grown solely for the purpose of seed^ 

 and others in which the seed is wasted or destroyed, the only 

 object in such case being to obtain the fibre. In either case there 

 is a greater profit to the grower than can be obtained from almost 

 any other crop. Mr. Beare, probably one of the best farmers in 

 the county of Norfolk, grows every year one or two acres of flax 

 after wheat, and without manure, for the seed only. His crop 

 last year yielded 26 bushels, which, at 10s. per bushel, would be 

 worth <£13 ; while his wheat crop did not exceed five quarters, 

 which, sold at 40s., would yield but £10, leaving a profit in 

 favor of flax-seed alone, (the straw being used as litter for cattle) 

 of £3 per acre. I may state upon this point, as a general rule, 

 under the present system, that, when grown for its seed alone, 

 the flax fibre is coarse, and is not considered of so much value 

 as that of a finer description. 



Fibre alone. — Seed destroyed. Numerous instances might 

 be adduced, from the reports of the Royal Flax Society, to show 



