186 OBSERVATIONS ON RESULTS OF EXPERIMENTS. 
did not get half the quantity. The cost of both is evidently 
too high, unless the finer qualities of Flax are produced. 
Mr. Wallace who continued the longest, and produced Flax at 
the cheapest rate—that is, from £12 to £15—-onght to have suc- 
ceeded, as he states that the expenses of cultivation were paid 
for by the seed. But we find him, as we have already stated, 
representing to the Agricultural Society that he should 
be unable to go on with the culture, from the discourage- 
ments he had met with, unless assisted by the Government. 
Though the difficulties are not specified, they must have been 
greater than appear from the published accounts, and therefore 
the facilities and the profit are not so great as they appeared 
to the Agri-Horticultural Society,—who thus unintentionally 
induced the Government of Lord Auckland to consider that 
public aid was not necessary. 
It is very evident that such experiments can only be made 
under the superintendence of Europeans, when, if successful, 
they may be adopted by natives. In repeating the experiments 
in more favorable situations, it would seem very desirable at 
first to ascertain as accurately as possible the quantity of 
produce of ordinary quality obtainable per acre, with good 
cultivation in a favorable locality, on an average of years, and 
then to endeavour to improve the quality. The profits of the 
two kinds of cultivation and preparation are not very dissimilar 
(v. p. 163) in Europe. Though manufacturers may require 
more of the coarser qualities of Flax, planters will of course 
grow that for which they can get the best prices; though it 
will be safest at first to reckon only on getting the prices of 
Russian or Egyptian Flax. 
We may proceed now to inquire where else Flax may be 
cultivated in India. 
CULTURE IN SAUGUR AND NERBUDDAH TERRITORY. 
The foregoing experiments were made almost entirely in the 
provinces of Bengal and Behar; but it has been mentioned 
that the central province of the Saugur and Nerbuddah 
territories seems well adapted for the culture of Flax, from the 
nature of the soil and climate. Here, indeed, some Flax has 
already been grown by Mr. Williams, of which I have been 
