138 AVERAGE IMPORTS OF FLAX AND LINSEED. 
to the Act 10 and 11 Victoria, cap. 115; and with considera- 
ble advantage, as the culture of Flax has greatly increased. 
The quality of the Flax has also been so greatly improved, that 
the Jury of Class IV of the Exhibition of 1851, stated—“ The 
entire collection shown by the Royal Society for Improving and 
Promoting the Growth of Flax in Ireland is so highly valuable, 
and so clearly illustrates the great advances which have been 
made and the important service which this Society has ren- 
dered to the country, that they determined to mark their high 
appreciation of their labours by recommending them to have 
one of the Council Medals.” 
But, notwithstanding the endeavours of successive govern- 
ments, the supply of home-grown Flax has never reached the 
extent required by our manufacturers. At present, it is con- 
sidered that the consumption is equal to 150,000 tons. About 
70,000 tons were, for several years, annually imported; or 
more precisely, in the year 1831, 46,820 tons: in the year 
1843, about 72,000 tons were imported; but in 1853 no less 
than 94,000 tons, or an increase of about 31 per cent. in the 
last decennial period, If the 150,000 tons be valued at an 
average of forty, or, according to others, at fifty pounds a ton, 
the amount is enormous. To this must be added “£1,500,000, 
the value of 650,000 quarters of linseed, used as seed and for 
crushing purposes; and about £500,000, the cost of 70,000 
tons of oil-cake, which we annually import, in addition to that 
made at home, for feeding purposes. The quantity of Flax 
fibre necessary to supply the demand of the United Kingdom 
would consume the produce of 500,000 acres; while in Ireland, 
during the past year, only 136,000 were cultivated, and, pro- 
bably, not a fourth of that quantity in the rest of the king- 
dom.” (Wilson.) The seed is imported from India, Egypt, 
Russia, Sicily, Prussia, and Holland; and the oil-cake from 
France, Germany, and the United States. 
Mr. Fane is of opinion that—‘“ Under proper arrangements, 
the whole might be home-grown. If all were, the money result 
would be enormous, because every ton of fibre involves the 
growth of eight tons of flax straw—eight tons of straw being 
required to produce one of fibre ; and every ton of straw involves 
the production of six bushels of seed, worth at least 6s. 6d. a 
bushel. These would give the following money result : 
