60 The Cultivation of Flax in Tasmania. 
land which, if not sown with Flax seed, would be fallowed. 
It was ploughed early in the autumn, and is now being re- 
ploughed and harrowed with a pair of heavy harrows: it will 
next be rolled with a very light roller, to give an even surface 
for the seed. Full two bushels of good sound seed will be given, 
when the land will be again harrowed with a pair of very 
light harrows—once as the field has been ploughed, and once 
across. Lastly, it will be rolled, to give a level surface, and — 
ensure quick and even vegetation. 
The above quantity of seed per acre we have found to give 
fine Flax and good seed. As it is sown thick, so does it come 
up; and the rapid growth of the plant in this climate does not 
allow weeds to interfere, if the land is moderately clean: no 
weeding, therefore, is required. From the 20th to the 25th 
December the plant is ready for pulling ; the proper time to 
commence being when the leaves begin to fall, and the stalk 
is nearly all turned yellow. It has been pulled at various 
stages :—-when quite green; partially so, as is the Irish 
plan, by which they lose the seed; fully ripe; and when 
nearly ripe, which is by far the best practice, having regard 
to fine fibre and good seed. 
Pulling the Flax is by no means a difficult process. After 
the first day no material difference could be observed between 
the Irish labourer, accustomed to such work, and those who 
never before saw it: from three to four active men will pull 
one acre per day. During the operation care is taken to 
keep the root ends together, straight and regular, and also to 
separate the long from the short Flax, should there be any 
difference : little time is lost in doing this during any of the 
processes—all go quickly forward ; and as each bundle must 
pass several times through the hands of the labourers before 
it is brought to be scutched, it eventually becomes pretty 
regular. When pulled, it is ticd near the root ends into 
