154 



DICKSON'S REPLY TO PROFESSOR LOWE'S 



YVarringston, sent by Messrs. Dunbar, M'Master, and 

 Dickson, of Gilford, who had bought it, was laid on the 

 table, and the following extract of a letter from him was 

 read to the meeting : — 



" ' I got 13s. per stone for what Flax I grew last year; 

 one acre and a rood, Irish measure, produced me £32 10s. j 

 I got the seed (Riga) from Messrs. J. Preston and Co. 

 My average price since I began to grow Flax under the 

 direction of your Society — say the last five years — has been 

 24s. 5d. per stone.' 



■ ' It was stated by a member of the committee, that Mr. 

 M' Carton's Flax had, one season, brought the high price 

 of £150 per ton in Leeds, and was considered good value 

 by the purchaser. 



" Having handed for insertion in your journal such 

 statements from practical men, may I not now hope that 

 those who read Professor Lowe's assertions respecting what 

 has been done in Fiax-culture by Ulster farmers, will now 

 conclude that his assertions respecting what the Dutch 

 will undertake to do for us, are as groundless as his ideas 

 of the value of the Flax-crop to the Ulster farmers. How- 

 ever, as in another learned profession it is said, Ignoirantia 

 non excusai legein, his ignorance of the subject will have no 

 excuse for his assumption, nor will it prevent my pen from 

 exposing his erroneous teaching, or lapsus linguce, as I shall 

 strictly adhere to Lex talionis whenever attempts are made 

 to impute to me any improper motives— whilst I fearlessly 

 and openly advise landowners and farmers to encourage 

 the more extended cultivation of Flax, and the introduc- 

 tion of linen-manufactories in the south and west of Ireland, 

 as such will be the true method and most profitable way 

 of giving permanent employment to the people, for while they 

 produce the raw material (Flax) in value of thousands sterling, 

 if it be manufactured into linen goods for exportation it will, in 



