THE OBJECTS OP THE SOCIETY. 



39 



justly be expected that I should be prepared to show the 

 grounds on which we presume that flax can be profitably grown 

 in this county, for unless that point is established, of necessity 

 the whole scheme must fall to the ground. 



Now it has been proved by upwards of forty experiments 

 in the neighbourhood of North Walsham, that the various 

 soils and the climate of that district are peculiarly favourable 

 to the growth of seed, for which alone the flax has hitherto 

 been cultivated. — It may, however, be safely assumed that 

 the cultivation of the plant, for the sake principally of the 

 flax, will be equally successful ; and here I may as well state 

 that Mr. Atkinson, of Walcot, threshed out at the rate of six 

 coombs two bushels of seed per acre, and that he has been 

 oflered forty shillings a cwt. for the straw when slightly pre- 

 pared. We may in fact suppose good flax grown, and that we 

 have only to find a market for it. — If we should unfortunately 

 be disappointed in finding a linen manufactory established at 

 Norwich, we have a ready market at Leeds or Belfast, where 

 they can take all we can grow, and^ if properly prepared, at a 

 great price. All that we have to do is to overcome the 

 diflfiiculty of preparing the flax for the manufacturer, and this 

 can only be done by employing foreigners, well versed in the 

 art, to instruct our labourers in the mysteries of steeping, 

 scutching, &c. Our object, therefore, at this moment is to 

 raise a sufiicient sum of money to bring over as soon as possible 

 intelligent foreigners to ensure our success. If, as I expect, 

 the cultivation of flax should be on an extensive scale, a pro- 

 portionably large sum will be required ; but we must not be 

 niggardly in furthering a grand undertaking, and I trust we 

 may rely on the assistance of every patriot and of every philan- 

 thropist who can afford it. 



In two years our labourers will be masters of the art of 

 managing the flax. The Society may then dissolve itself, and 

 those who have forwarded this scheme for the benefit of many 

 may joyfully remember that they have added one to the num- 

 ber of their good works. 



In conclusion, my Lords and Gentlemen, I earnestly beg 

 your attendance at the meeting on the 16th. You will then 

 have an opportunity of hearing from that energetic and excel- 



