96 



DICKSON ON EL AX AS A 



to inform them that, as the short staple of cotton can never 

 be got to unite or work in with the long staple of Flax, there 

 can be no amalgamation of those articles, and as a conse- 

 quence, there is but little chance of an interested anion beticeen 

 the cotton and agricultural interests, for, in my opinion, they are 

 as wide as the poles. This being the fact, let the landowners 

 of Britain encourac^e the landowners to cultivate Flax — an 

 article certain to increase the linen manufacture of this 

 country — and they will soon find that (as he that will be free 

 must strike the blow) they have struck a heavy blow at the 

 head-quarters of discontent, where the cotton trade is exten- 

 sively carried on by persons who are not to be quieted until 

 (like Belfast) many of their mills and power-looms are turned 

 from cotton to the spinning and manufacture of Flax — an 

 article that. I am prepared to prove will not exhaust the soil 

 more than a crop of Wheat, whilst I prove that by many ex- 

 periments, the profits far exceed any other crop the farmer 

 can commit to the soil. 



" I am, Sir, yours respectfully, 



" J. H. DICKSON. 



"London, 31st May, 1845." 



LETTEK III. 



flax a restorative, not an exhausting crop. 

 [Authority: Professor Kane.] 



To the Editor of the " Intelligencer 

 ^Sie, — As there are many eminent houses engaged in 

 Flax-spinning in your town, who would, no doubt, rejoice to see- 

 the Yorkshire farmers assembled in Leeds:, with their cart- 

 loads and boat-loads of Flax, the produce of their own culti- 

 vation — if you will permit me to occupy a column in your 

 journal at this time with a few observations on the subject, in 

 order to remove prejudice and misapprehension, 1 shall not 



