OBSERVATIONS ON RESULTS OF EXPERIMENTS. 185 
but it is remarked that when sown in a rich, it did not do so 
well, as when sown in a poorer soil. The whole question of 
what is the best seed for the untried soils and climates of new 
countries is one of considerable difficulty. It does not fullow 
that seed from a rich soil and the most careful cultivation is 
necessarily the best for transference to a poorer soil and drier 
climate ; indeed, the converse would, in many cases, appear to 
be the more suitable course. But even in the case of Wheats, 
some from Australia and from the Nerbuddah, pronounced the 
finest in the English market, have never produced good 
crops in this country, notwithstanding the most careful 
attention. Indeed, the most advisable course appears to be 
to grow the best native seed, and as thickly sown as is found 
to be suitable, for the express purpose of changing the branch- 
ing nature of the plant, and then making an exchange with 
the seed of other districts following the same course; in order 
to insure that interchange of seeds which is so beneficial for all 
kinds of crops, and is conspicuous in India in the indigo crops 
of Bengal being grown from the seeds of the North-West. In 
the directions for culture in Europe, we have seen that early 
sowing is necessary to produce good fibre, and late sowing for 
seed; but in India the reverse course is to be followed, for 
early sowing, in consequence of the high temperature, induces 
rapid but, from the dryness of the climate, stunted growth, 
with an abundant production of seed; while later in the 
autumn the temperature is lower, the growth is slower, but the 
dews being heavy, there is greater moisture, and this, with the 
slower growth, produces finer fibre. The early sowing is pre- 
ferred by some, in order to save the expense of irrigation, but 
this must sometimes be with the sacrifice of the quality of 
fibre. 
With respect to the cost at which Flax can be produced in 
India, we find Mr. Leyburn stating that he gets four maunds 
of Flax, or 328 1b., from about one third of an acre of land, at a 
cost of £2 10s., or for about £17 aton; and that this sold for 
£28 a ton in London; but we do not find that he proceeded 
with the cultivation. Mr. Deneef calculated the cost of Flax 
produced by him to be £32 a ton, with a profit of £8, which 
would afterwards amount to £14. Mr. de Verinne calculated 
the cost would be £31 a ton, with an average crop; though he 
