8 



INTRODUCTORY REMARKS 



It is by many considered an exhausting and unprofitable 

 crop ; the former is a mere idle notion ; experience will teach 

 that it meliorates rather than exhausts the soil ; (and it may not 

 be out of place here to mention that this season, after a crop 

 of flax, I A. Or. 1p. planted mangold-wurzel, produced, clean 

 and free from tops, 43 tons 15 cwt. ;) with regard to the latter, 

 I shall refer you to the following statement : — 



(Growth of 1845 on 4a. 1r. 24p.) 

 1349 lbs. of flax sold in Leeds for (after deducting all expenses) 

 106 lbs. of ditto sold in Ensham ...... 



372 lbs. of tow, ditto 



104 bushels of linseed, at 7s. Qd. per bushel .... 

 Small quantity of tail linseed, chaff, and refuse from scutching . 



£ 



s. 



d. 



25 



10 



6 



2 



13 







4 



13 







39 











1 



10 







73 



6 



6 



EXPENSES. 



£ 



s. 



d. 



Ploughing 4a. 1r. 24p. at lOs. 



2 



4 







10^ bushels of linseed, at 7s. Qd. . , . . 



3 



18 



9 



Sowing and harrowing ditto ..... 







10 









1 



2 







Pulling and tying up the stalks, threshing, spreading, 









and turning, preparing for scutching, 30s. per acre 



6 



12 







Expenses of carting, stacking in barn, &c. 



1 



15 







Rent and taxes, 50s. per acre ..... 



11 











Scutching 1455 lbs. of flax, at 2c?. per lb. 



12 



2 



6 



Ditto 372 lbs. tow, at \d. per lb 



1 



11 







40 15 3 



£32 11 3 



It will be seen from the above statement that the cost of 

 preparing the fibre for market is very great in comparison to 

 its value, and I was induced from this serious item in expenses 

 to write to Mr. Warnes, of Trimingham, Norfolk (to whom I 

 am indebted for much useful information on the subject), in 

 answer to which he says, " the cost of dressing your flax is 

 excessive, the quantity of tow and consequent waste immense." 

 I think, therefore, under these circumstances, and with the 

 above result, the cultivation of flax is deserving of some consi- 

 deration. 



My only object in troubling you with this subject is the 

 improvement of agriculture. 



I remain, Sir, yours very respectfully, 



Ensham, Jan. 27, 1847. Samuel Druce, Jun. 



