FLAX OUGHT TO BE EXTENSIVELY CULTIVATED. 51 



societies ; that the county be formed into districts, but not too 

 many of them, to follow up the plan suggested by Mr. Warnes. 

 (Hear, hear.) We are greatly indebted to the President of 

 this Society, to Mr. Warnes, and to all who have interested 

 themselves in this matter, for the great pains they have taken 

 in bringing the cultivation of flax to the perfection it is about 

 to be brought to. I sincerely wish them success, and trust that 

 their designs will be fully accomplished. 1 hope that no time 

 will be lost, and that funds will not be wanting to carry out the 

 great designs of this Society to perfection. I will not trouble 

 you further. — The Noble Lord sat down amid great applause. 



The Hon. and Rev. R. Wilson said — I rise to second the 

 resolution moved by my Noble Friend. When it was first 

 suggested that I should do so, I felt a difficulty in agreeing to 

 it, for I felt on this subject I was quite ignorant ; but on 

 inquiry I found that we were likely to be all learners, and 

 should not be expected to offer you information upon it ; I 

 therefore no longer hesitated. When 1 considered the object 

 of this Society, several things induced me to believe that it 

 would be of the greatest advantage to this county, and to the 

 country generally. If we take up extensively the cultivation 

 of flax, we shall be enabled to supply the markets and manu- 

 facturers with that article. I hope this will induce a better 

 feeling between the manufacturers and the agriculturists. We 

 have been grieved to see a considerable degree of ill-feeling 

 between the parties. It appears as if there were a jealousy 

 between them, each thinking the other has too great a share 

 of the profits of business in this country. I hope that by a 

 more intimate connexion between them as flax-growers and 

 flax-consumers, this ill-feeling will be removed. I have no 

 doubt that, by the growth of flax and by the use of the seed 

 in fattening cattle, we shall be enabled to retain in this country 

 a great amount of capital which we have been compelled to 

 send abroad in the purchase of oil-cake. I have always felt a 

 strong disposition to support all agricultural societies, for many 

 reasons. By an improved system of agriculture we may be 

 enabled to produce as much corn, probably, as we may require 

 for home consumption, — thus making our old England inde- 



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