MR. ROUS, THE PRESIDENT. 



43 



three parts barley and one linseed, or three parts beans and 

 one linseed, was vastly superior to the oil-cake then in use. 

 In fact, that, at last year's prices, 20/. spent in compound 

 (besides the contingent advantages of home labour) was equal 

 in its effects to 30/. laid out in cake. The next step was to 

 grow the linseed. In that we also succeeded, and the object 

 we then had in view was accomplished. Altered circumstances 

 enlarged our views. The national voice demanded that food 

 should be furnished to the consumer at a cheaper rate, and the 

 legislature passed certain Acts of Parliament to produce the 

 result. It would be foreign to the purpose of this Meeting, 

 and an impertinent waste of your time, either to eulogize or 

 to condemn those acts of the legislature. Sufficient it is for 

 me to say, that those whose subsistence depends on agriculture 

 were obliged to make these inquiries — How are we to preserve 

 the same relative position in society as formerly ? How are we 

 to provide for our families, and how can we continue to employ 

 the agricultural labourers at reasonable wages, which is our duty 

 and which we earnestly desire to perform ? Two modes present 

 themselves. One mode is, to increase the quantity of our 

 saleable commodities by an improved system of cultivation, 

 and a careful selection of stock. Another mode, that which we 

 venture to recommend instead of the first, is to substitute 

 some crop of considerable surplus value, in lieu of some of 

 those which are now losing crops. If the new remunerating 

 crop requires increased labour in its cultivation, so much the 

 better. If it furnishes a new channel of employment to the 

 manufacturing population, it combines every possible advan- 

 tage. The originators and supporters of this Society have 

 tried many experiments, and have sought all the information 

 within their reach, and have come to the conclusion that the 

 cultivation of flax, both for seed and manufacture, is likely to 

 be profitable to the grower and to give that increased employ- 

 ment which is so desirable. They, therefore, have summoned 

 this Meeting for the purpose of recommending the adoption of 

 flax-growing generally, and of calling on those who hold the 

 same opinion as themselves to assist them in furnishing the 

 means of employing competent instructors, so that we may 

 grow flax in the greatest perfection, and turn it to the greatest 

 profit. — Gentlemen, I thank you in the name of the Society 



