EXPERIMENTS IN BENGAL AND BEHAR. 177 
30 begahs’ rent for six months—the other six months for other crops Rs. 45 
10 maunds of American or European seed, at Rs. 8 . . 
6 begahs of superior (spade) cultivation, at Rs. 5 7 . - 30 
24 begahs, four necessary ploughings, each Rs. 3 . + 72 
Sowing, malees, recolt, rippling, steeping, carrying, and petty expenses 48 
28 maunds dressing, in a very clean way, at Rs.3 9. . - 98 
Breaking of flax-tools _ : . . - 7 
Rs. 380 
Return :—1 maund Flax. 
19 to 20 maunds Seed. 
7 to 9 Codilla. 
Chittagong Flax—One of the most southern districts in the Bengal 
Presidency, where Flax has been prepared, is that of Chittagong. 
A. Sconce, Esq., at that time Collector of Chittagong, forwarded, in March, 
1843, some samples of Flax which he had grown there from acclimated 
Europe seed; that is, from seed re-produced for two or three years from 
imported seed, and sown there in the month of November. He suggested 
to the Society the awarding of small prizes to natives who cultivated the 
Flax on account of its fibre. His object being “to interest chiefly those 
who are familiar with the cultivation of Linseed (which is common enough 
for the purpose of extracting oil) and the country Sunn.” He states that he 
had had an opportunity of observing in that season the very great difference 
between Flax grown from Europe and from country seed—the latter being 
softer and finer, but very much shorter, and very much weaker. If this is 
found to be the case by others, the length might probably be easily increased 
by cultivation. The samples examined by the Flax and Hemp Committee 
were reported on as follow : 
Undressed Flax.—This sample contains more Tow than Flax; itis badly 
prepared, dirty, and not adapted for the Home market ; but the 
Dressed Flax—strong, clean, of very superior quality, but of short staple : 
if it were a little longer, say six inches, it would realise a very high price in 
the Home and Continental markets. Mr. Deneef said of it that the staple, 
though short, was most beautiful; but the mode of preparation (having been 
hackled) is too expensive to admit of its yielding a profitable return, even 
were it to sell at the value I affix to it, viz., £60 a ton.” 
Burdwan Flax.—¥our samples of Flax grown at Burdwan were presented 
to the Agri-Horticultural Society, by Mr. J. Erskine, in July, 1844, 
Of these, Nos. 1, 3, and 4 were the produce of acclimated and up-country 
seed mixed together—sown in October and November, 18438, and reaped in 
February and March, 1844. No.2 was the produce of up-country seed, sown 
on 15th October, and reaped on the 27th February. Mr. J. Law having 
examined these samples, considered them all as of a fair quality ; and judging 
frora the prices of the different marks of the article then in Britain, valued 
Nos. 1 and 2 at £32, No. 3 at £34, and No. 4 at £30 per ton, landed in 
England. 
Bullea Experiments. 
Mr. de Verinne, Superintendent of Flax cultivation at Bullea (twelve miles 
below Benares), in reply to the queries, states, as already mentioned, Sept. 20, 
1841, that the experiment of the previous season had been a complete failure. 
He sowed 130 Duncanee begahs, each containing 28,336 square feet, double 
of the Bengal begah. The soil was not manured, but ploughed seven and 
