244 FIELD CROPS 



Argentina produced more than 34 per cent of the entire 

 world's crop of flaxseed in the five years from 1905 to 1909; 

 the United States slightly more than 26 per cent; European 

 Russia, 20 per cent; and British India, 12^ per cent. The 

 average world production for this period was about 100,- 

 000,000 bushels. The increase in flax production in Argen- 

 tina has been very rapid in recent years. 



300. Production in the United States. In the ten years 

 from 1902 to 1911, as shown in Table XIII, more than half 

 of the flax crop of the United States was produced in North 

 Dakota, the average area devoted to flax in that state being 

 1,465,000 acres, and the average production 12,289,000 

 bushels. Minnesota produced one-fifth, and South Dakota 



MINN, mmmmmmmmmmmm 19.97% 

 S.DAK. mmmmmmmmmmm i&.5i/o 



Fig. 81. Percentage of the total flax crop of the Unted States produced in the 

 three leading states, and in all others, 1902-1911. 



one-sixth of the crop, half of the remainder being grown in 

 Montana and Kansas. The accompanying diagram shows 

 graphically the portion of the crop produced in the three 

 leading states. The production of flax is much more impor- 

 tant in North Dakota than in any other state, 9.74 per cent 

 of the improved farm area being devoted to the crop, as 

 compared with 8.67 per cent in oats and 5.42 per cent in 

 barley. Wheat alone is more important, occupying 40.33 

 per cent of the improved farm land in this state. In annual 

 value, the flax crop of the United States exceeds rye and 

 rice, ranking next to barley. The average annual value of 

 the crop for the ten years was $27,611,000. The standard 

 weight of a bushel of flax is 56 pounds. 



