FRANCE FLAX BOUNTY LAWS. 



By the law of January 13, 1892, to remain in force for six 

 years, bounties for flax and hemp culture, according to the 

 quantity grown of acres, will be granted for an amount not ex- 

 ceeding 500,000 francs. By a decree of April 13, 1892, boun- 

 ties are granted only if the area entitled is at least 25 acres. 

 By a decree of March 28, 1893, the number of acres to be tilled 

 is reduced to 10. 



The following bounties have been granted: In 1892, 132 

 francs per hectare (or say $8.36 per acre). In 1893, 88 francs (or 

 say $5.75 per acre). In 1894, 72 francs per hectare ($75 per 

 acre). In 1895, 8 francs (equal to $4.50 per acre). These 

 bounties of the French Government are said to have greatly 

 stimulated the flax culture in that country. 



RUSSIA. 



While more than two-thirds of all the flax produced in Eu- 

 rope is grown in Russia, yet the quality of the flax produced in 

 that country is of a very low grade. There are in Russia two 

 qualities of land used for the production of flax. One called the 

 black land, where the flax is grown for seed, and the other 

 called the red lands, where the flax is grown for fiber. 



CANADA. 



In Canada, also, large quantities of flax is grown. This is 

 also of poor quality and low in price, being mostly dew retted. 

 In the province of Ontario, one firm, Messrs. Livingstone Bros.' 

 operate twelve scutch mills, and they are called the flax kings 

 of Canada. Their flax having an average market value of 9 

 cents per pound in New York, the grower thus obtaining only 

 about one and one-half ton of dry straw with the seed on per 

 acre, and the straw yields eight per cent of fiber, while on Puget 

 Sound I have obtained from 2^/2 to 4 tons of dry straw without 

 the seed per acre, and the dry straw yielded 14'to 36 per cent of 

 fiber of high quality. 



THE LAND. 



On Puget Sound and by parity of reasoning, my remarks 

 will apply in a great measure to Western Washington and West- 

 ern Oregon. I have found good crops of flax were produced on 

 every quality of land with the exception of freshly broken peat 

 and very dry sandy land, and even on that, with early sowing 

 and irrigation, would have given satisfactory results. The good 

 fruit and bench lands and alder uplands will probably produce 

 the finest grade of fiber and our celebrated hop land will secure 

 the heaviest crops of both flax and hemp. I have produced 4 

 tons of dry flax straw without seed oh such land and the limit 

 has by no means been reached, and I believe much larger crops 

 could be produced on such land. Sandy loam, sandy clay loams, 

 and strong clay loams are all well adapted to flax in this region. 



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