34 



DICKSON ON 



LIFTING THE STALKS OFF THE GRASS. 



Lifting the stalks off the grass is a matter that requires 

 some attention, as keeping them straight and the ends even 

 prevents loss in the breaking and scutching mills, which is 

 the next process, and if it be built in small stacks in the field, 

 so that the air may get through it freely, previous to its being 

 built in the stackyard, to stand over-year, it will serve it very 

 much ; for, as the old foolish system of fire-drying is now so 

 well known to be ruinous that comment is unnecessary, it 

 cannot be too strongly impressed on the grower's mind, how 

 requisite it is, to have it well dried by the sun and air, previous 

 to building in the stackyard, to stand over-year in a large 

 rick, for then it will only require a little exposure to the sun 

 and air in coming spring and summer, as it is opened up and 

 made into handfuls for the next operation. 



WEEDS IN FLAX. 



Several persons, for whom I haye imported seed from 

 Belfast, have, from time to time, complained of the injury 

 sustained by great numbers of the Flax plant, from a weed 

 commonly called ei dodder/' the seed of which had been allowed 

 to remain amongst the Flax seed. For the guidance of 

 growers I insert the following extract from a paper, on the 

 parasites of crop and pasturage plants, by Dr. Mateer, Professor 

 of Botany in the Royal Belfast Academical Institution, shewing 

 the necessity of selecting Flax seed free from an admixture of 

 other seeds, or at least of separating all other seeds, by sifting 

 before sowing : — 



" Plants which grow on the same soil with crop or pasturage 

 plants, in plenty, are hurtful, by taking away the nourishing 

 ingredients of the soil ; yet they become much more so, when, 



