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DICKSON ON THE 



any experienced farmer can cultivate the plant to perfection, 

 I should like to avail myself of another opportunity, through 

 the columns of your paper, to point out the advantages that 

 may be gained by landlords and tenants in encouraging the 

 growth of Flax in this country. 



" Aware that theoretical observations can never entirely ob- 

 literate prejudice, I will place before those interested in the 

 well-doing of the farmers of this kingdom, facts and experi- 

 ments which I hope will be sufficient to raise the curtain that 

 has so long hidden the stage of the great agricultural theatre 

 of Europe, and concealed from the eyes of the British farmers 

 the profits of Flax-growing derived by their continental agri- 

 cultural neighbours, from which England derives scarcely any 

 benefit, although it appears, from the Irish Farmer's Journal, 

 these people have been draining annually from us between 

 ten and twelve millions sterling for Flax, oil-cake, and Flax- 

 seed ; and it appears by the parliamentary returns up to the 

 5th of January, 1844, that this sum, drawn by our continental 

 friends, is very little short of the whole value of manufactured 

 cotton goods exported by us to all parts of the globe — viz., 

 £16,249,268. By the same returns, I observe that the whole 

 amount of our exports in Linen, Flax, and Tow-yarns, was 

 £3,603,079 ; so that it follows, we consume the agricultural 

 produce of Belgium, &c, to the amount of from seven to nine 

 millions sterling annually, and this sum may and ought to be 

 kept in this country, if landlords and farmers will but study 

 their own interests. I would just say to the calculating 

 farmer — Consider the population of Great Britain 18,800,000, 

 deduct the inhabitants of cities, towns and villages } wdio are 

 merchants, manufacturers and traders— then, on seeing what 

 number you may allow to be farmers, ask } 7 ourselves, how much 

 of this twelve millions your own share may be ? and do not forget 

 the example you have before you in the north of Ireland, 

 where Flax-spinners declare that some of them who have paid 



