11 



APPENDIX. 



be, but that it must be so, however cultivated, I utterly deny; 

 and I do so on two grounds : 1st., on the ground of my own 

 experience, having grown as good oats after Flax as after 

 wheat, or any other crop ; and 2nd. on the ground of the 

 known composition of the plant, I say "known," as Sir R. 

 Kane, in his masterly writings has given us in full detail, all 

 the information that could be wished for, and as the entire 

 press of Ireland is aware of the thorough value cf Sir R. 

 Kane's knowledge, I cannot but think they felt dissatisfied 

 when they read the silly attempt of the writer in the 

 Standard to discourage the Flax movement in Ireland. 



The main point upon which we rest our assertion that Flax 

 is not necessarily an exhauster of the soil, as the word implies, 

 is the removal out of it, those elements of vegetable food which 

 it contains, and in the abundance of which its fertility consists. 

 Now, plants derive all their mineral portions from the soil, all 

 those portions, in fact, of which, when they are burnt, their 

 ashes consist, and upon the quantity and quality of their 

 power of exhausting, the soil depends. 



Taking the Flax plant when harvested, Sir R. Kane found 

 it contain 5 per cent, ashes, which, comparing the plant need 

 not be carried off the farm. The fact is nothing but the Flax 

 should be carried off the farm ; the seed should be consumed 

 upon it, the steeping water should be used as liquid manure, 

 and none better can be applied ; the bone or stalk on which 

 the fibre grew, when separated from the Flax, by breaking 

 and scutching should be burned, as it will not rot for years, 

 and carried to the dung heap. The fibre is the only 

 thing carried to market, and the point to be ascertained, by 

 one who cultivates as he ought, in order to make up his mind 

 as to the exhaustion of his farm, consequent on its cultivation, 

 is the mineral matter carried off in the fibre ; and this, on Sir 

 R. Kane's authority, and for the satisfaction of all who cul- 

 tivate the crop, we proclaim to be most insignificant in 

 quantity; in fact, you may take a bundle of Flax fibre and 

 burn it, and it will leave no ashes. 



Any further remarks would but weaken the influence of 

 this fact, I therefore appeal to my intelligent agricultural 

 readers, if what I have said does not entirely meet all the 

 objections on the part of the Standard's writer, he can 

 bring forward. What becomes after this, of his and such 

 theoretical writers, antiquated, and (can 1 help saying) most 

 ignorant fear of landowners allowing their land to be 

 ruined, now, that it is so evident that Ulster prosperity has 



