PROCEEDINGS OF THE FARMERS' CLUB. 247 



years since, introduced a machine and apparatus for rotting flax and hemp, 

 by keeping it at a temperature say ninety deg. I think it a geographical 

 difficulty; our country is too new; our population is too much separated to 

 work to advantage. 



Mr. Adrian Bergen. — We tried flax some years ago upon Long Island, 

 but had to give it up, because it was not a profitable crop. The labor of 

 preparing it by hand for market is altogether too great. 



Mr. Solon Robinson. — The following direction in relation to growing flax 

 was prepared by Messrs. Harry Wilcox and Enos Durham, extensive flax 

 growers in Washington and Rensselaer counties, New York: 



"Generally any good corn land will grow good flax, but (we consider) 

 the best land in our section is an upland gravelly loam, which yields the 

 finest lint, and is generally best coated. Seed should be sown as early as 

 possible, but not so early as to be injured by frost. One bushel of seed to 

 the acre, as a general thing, would be suflicient, but when the land is 

 strong five pecks would be better. We generally sow from the 5th to the 

 10th of May. If the land is rolled after sowing the seed, the crop may be 

 cut with the reaper instead of pulling— it would also benefit the crop. 



" The time to pull or harvest the crop is when the stalks begin to turn 

 yellow, and the leaves to drop off. The cost of pulling per acre is. from $5 

 to $8 — when pulled or cut it should be placed on end or bound in bundles, 

 of from three to four inches in diameter, arid stacked in small shocks, so 

 that the air can circulate through it freely until dry; then it should be 

 taken to some convenient place for taking off the seed, with a machine for 

 that purpose. The flax is taken in both hands and passed down through 

 the pulleys or rollers until the balls are all broken, the seed dropping 

 below. 



"The flax for retting or rotting should be spread on grass land, and if in 

 dry, warm weather, early in the season, it ought to be spread on low mea- 

 dow land; if late in the season, any grass land is suitable. At any season 

 of the year it should be spread thin, not more than one pound to two feet 

 running measure. It should be allowed to remain until the fiber turns sil- 

 ver gray, then turn and let it remain until the other side is like the first. 

 In turniiig, a pole is used from eight to ten feet long. If the weather is 

 rainy, and the straw in consequence is liable to be over retted or rotted, in 

 order to save it, it should be placed on end in small shocks, of from two to 

 three feet in diameter, and remain until dry weather. When dry, it should 

 be bound in bundles of convenient size fijr handling, and either stacked 

 like oats, and thatched on the top, or placed under cover. If stacked, the 

 seed ends should point to the center of the stack. 



"One year with another, one acre of good corn land will yield one ton 

 of retted or rotted straw, an average of from ten to twelve bushels of seed, 

 and an average of from 400 to 450 pounds of lint (if the most approved 

 machinery is used in dressing), which is now worth in this section twenty- 

 five cents per pound. We sometimes let out the whipping off the seed and 

 rotting, and the average price paid is $3 per acre." 



Mr. W. S. Carpenter. — Clover and timothy seed always sell at good paying 

 prices. 



Mr. Solon Robinson called the attention of Illinois farmers to the fact 



