156 DIRECTIONS OF THE IRISH SOCIETY 
be produced after grain, and the double benefit of the grain and Flax 
secured. If old lea be broken up, and potatoes planted, followed by a grain 
crop, a very fine crop of Flax may be obtained in the ensuing year. : 
Preparation of the Soil—One of the points of the greatest importance in 
the culture of Flax, is by thorough-draining, and by careful and repeated 
cleansing of the land from weeds, to place it in the finest, deepest, and clean- 
est state. This will make room for the roots to penetrate, which they will 
often do to a depth equal to one half the length of the stem above 
ground. (Sometimes twenty to thirty inches.) _ : ; 
After wheat, one ploughing may be sufficient, on light friable loam, but 
two are better; and, on stiff soils, three are advisable—one immediately 
after harvest, across the ridges, and two in spring, so as to be ready for 
sowing in the first or second week of April. Much will, of course, depend 
on the nature of the soil, and the knowledge and experience of the farmer. 
The land should be so drained and subsoiled, that it can be sown in flats, 
which will give more evenly and much better crops. Subsoiling should not 
be done at a less interval than two years prior to the Flax crop. This gives 
the land time to consolidate. But, until the system of thorough-draining be 
general, it will be necessary, after oats, to plough early in autumn, to the 
depth of six or eight inches. Throw the land into ridges, that it may receive 
the frost and air; and make surface drains to carry off the rains of winter. 
Plough again in spring, three or four inches deep, so as to preserve the 
winter surface for the roots of the Flax. The spring ploughing should be 
given some time before sowing, to allow any seeds of weeds in the land to 
vegetate, and the harrowing in of the Flax seed will kill them, and save a 
great deal of after weeding. Following the last harrowing, it is necessary 
to roll, to give an even surface and consolidate the land, breaking this up 
again with a short-toothed or seed harrow, before sowing, which should be 
up and down, not across the ridges or anglewise. 
Seed.—The seed best adapted for the generality of soils is Riga, although 
Dutch has been used in many districts of country, for a series of years, with 
perfect success. American seed does not generally suit well, as it is apt to 
roduce a coarse, branchy stem. If used, it should be on deep, loamy soils. 
n buying seed, select it plump, shining, and heavy, and of the best brands, 
from a respectable merchant. Sift it clear of all the seeds of weeds, which 
will save a great deal of after trouble, when the crop is growing. This may 
be done by fanners, and through a wire sieve, twelve bars to the inch. 
Home-saved seed has produced such excellent crops, of late, that it is 
strongly recommended that every farmer should only sow, each year, as 
much foreign seed as would produce a sufficient quantity for his Flax crop 
of the following season.1_ The thinner portion of the crop would be the best 
for this purpose, as, when Flax grows thin, it produces much seed. This 
plan, besides the saving effected in the price of foreign sowing seed, would 
effectually secure the farmer from any danger of loss from fraudulently 
made up seed. It will be best, in most cases, to use the seed which is saved 
from this, in the following year, for feeding, or to sell it for the oil mills, 
although it often produces good crops. 
Sowing.—The proportion of seed may be stated at three and a half impe- 
rial bushels to the Irish or plantation acre; and so on, in proportion to the 
Scotch or Cunningham, and the English or statute acre. It is better to sow 
too thick than too thin; as, with thick sowing the stem grows tall and 
straight, with only one or two seed-capsules at the top, and the fibre is found 
reatly superior, in fineness and length, to that produced from thin sown 
lax, which grows coarse, and branches out, produces much seed, but a very 
The produce of seed averages about twelve bushels the statute acre, so that the 
seed saved off one statute acre would sow about five. 
