The Cultivation of Flax in Tasmania. 67 
On all the items charged to the Dr. side in the foregoing 
account, I have added a little to that at which they an 
stand recorded. 
As to the Cr. side, in the course of the last five years 
700 Ibs. clean Flax and 20 bushels seed per acre have been 
obtained, and as low as 200 Ibs. Flax and 6 bushels seed; but 
this small crop has not been general, or in any particular 
year, and solely arose from sowing on foul land imported 
seed, which, being very old, partially missed, and came up 
very thin. Taking, therefore, 43 cwt. is rather under than 
over the average of the crops during a period of five years. 
As to the value given per cwt., small samples of the first year’s 
growth, coarse and hand-scutched, were valued in London at 
88s. per cwt., with this remark attached to account sales— 
“¢ That it was no criterion of its value, from the extraordinary 
depression then caused by the large failures of that disastrous 
year (1848): the price was equal to that of the best Riga flax 
then in the market.” 
Small parcels have also been sold in the colony at from ~ 
AQs. to 56s. per ewt. ; and when it is borne in mind that Flax 
ranges in Belfast market from 40s. to 80s., some fine sam- 
ples as high as 100s. per cwt., the foregoing value of 56s., 
now that it is mill-scutched, of superior quality, and well got 
up, it is hoped and believed will be found underrated. Sam- 
ples of the worst portion of the crop we are now engaged on 
have been valued in Hobart Town at 60s. per cwt. Account 
sales of two bales middling quality, shipped last year, have 
not yet been received. As to quantity of seed credited per acre 
(10 bushels), the produce varies as it may have been sown, 
thick or thin, for coarse or fine fibre : fine fibre, and 20 bushels 
per acre have been obtained ; no betier fibre, and as lowas 6 
bushels per acre. The value given, 12s. per bushel, is that 
which all that has been purchased has cost the farm, a price 
FR 
