2 



DICKSON ON THE 



the high price of £90 to £150 per ton, — a large amount 

 when we consider the same may be produced off three statue 

 acres of land, and £10 per acre is sufficient to cover rent and 

 all other expenses in preparing the Flax fibre for the market, 

 and as this great inducement of profit should stimulate 

 Farmers to select and prepare ground for Flax, with as much 

 care and attention as they would do a garden plot of Onions, 

 — I shall endeavour to inform them of what I know of the 

 soils in the best Flax districts in Ulster, as well as of what I 

 know of the soils and the mode of preparing in the Flax 

 districts on the Continent, and the seperate modes of manage- 

 ment in harvesting the crop, and to this I shall add a 

 description of the compound, or manure requisite to bring the 

 Land, if spoor, up to a proper state to produce a luxurious 

 ci op of Flax, describing the mode of preparation, and the 

 course of rotation. 



DESCRIPTION OF SOILS. 



It has now been proved beyond all doubt that good Flax 

 may be grown by careful cultivation on various descriptions of 

 soils, whether the upper or active soil be Long, Peaty, 

 Clayey, Sandy, or Gravelly, provided there is beneath a 

 good clay subsoil, — but that loam of a deep, dry quality, with 

 a clay subsoil, is the best for producing a large quantity, or 

 yield, and. fine quality of fibre, we have every proof of the fact 

 from experiments made by successful! growers in the counties 

 of Armagh and Down, where Flax is now often grown equal 

 to the best Flemish Flax, — because of the care and attention 

 the Farmers in these counties give to Flax growing in order 

 to compete with foreigners, and not have it said they can be 

 beat in practical operations by the Belgians. Being myself 

 deeply interested in the improvement ot the quality of Flax 

 grown in Ireland, during the many years that I attended the 

 Armagh, Tanderagee, Ballybay, Dungannon, and Ballymena 



