REGENERATION OF IRELAND. 



139 



present I have brought a specimen of the linen made from 

 Flax, grown, scutched, and spun on my own estate, and which is a 

 good specimen of home manufacture/ Mr. Sotheron then 

 produced a napkin and various other small articles, which 

 were of a very fine and superior quality. He then proceeded to 

 give his own experience in the growth of Flax. The great 

 question was, whether it answered to grow it or not. He had 

 himself received such a return of iiett profit from his own little 

 crop — (he would not enter upon figures) — as to prove to his 

 own satisfaction that though the great estimates they had at 

 first formed of the profit to be derived had not been met, yet 

 that it would amply repay the farmer who determined on 

 growing it. There was one great advantage to be derived 

 from its cultivation, namely, that they would be enabled to 

 grow their own seed for the supply of their cattle ; and as to 

 the fibre, he should be quite ready to scutch it all for them 

 at his mill, [a Portable Mill for breaking and scutching Flax, 

 Invented and Manufactured by Mr, J. Hill Dickson, Skinner 

 Street, Bishopsgate, London, and erected and left in working 

 order in three days, by two of his Millwrights,] as he was now 

 doing to a large quantity which had been sent him for that 

 purpose, and the whole of which he would be very glad to 

 buy. But the main point was that it would afford a wide field 

 for the employment of many around them, who had often been 

 without work during the months of winter. These persons 

 were the less able-bodied of their labourers, the old and infirm, 

 with the women and children who were obliged to stay at home 

 during winter. He would, therefore, urge upon all to devote 

 some of their land to this crop for the next season ; and he 

 would undertake to say that they would be able to spend 

 a good deal in labour on their own farms beyond what they 

 had yet done, and after all, to put a good profit into their own 

 pockets. In conclusion, Mr. Sotheron thanked them for 

 having drank his health and congratulated them on the 



