( xvii ) 



CONTENTS. 



PAGE 



Preface ..,•.< 

 Introductory Remarks to the Second Edition 

 Reasons for the Cultivation of Flax 



« 



15 



1 



1 



Agriculture and Home-Commerce the Pillars of National Prospe- 

 rity — Distress of the Poor, which can only be remedied by 

 Constant ^Employment — Sufferings of the Operatives in the 

 Manufacturing Districts — Agricultural Produce imported — The 

 Factory System — Condition of the Labourer Abroad and at 

 Home — Poor Laws fatal to good Wages and Home-Commerce — 

 Evil Effects of insufficient Employment — Flax-Culture would 

 provide that Employment — The Flax- Crop in L'eland — Allu- 

 sions to Flax m the Holy Scriptures — Known to the ancient 

 Egyptians — Tatroduced into Britain by the Romans — Not affected 

 by Difference of Soil and Climate — A double Crop — Affords 

 Employment to Thirty Classes of Society — Our Obligations to 

 the Flax Improvement Society of Ireland. 



Meeting of the North Walsham Farmers' Club . . .26 

 Exhibition of Stock, and of Flax grown in Norfolk — Speeches of 

 Mr. Wodehouse, Mr. Warnes, Mr. Partridge, Mr. Norfor, Sir 

 T. F. Buxton, &c. — The Dinner — Mr. Rous's Explanation of 

 the Objects of the newly-formed Society. 



The Norfolk Flax Society ^40 



Its First Meeting in St. Andrew's Hall — Speech of Mr. Rous, 

 the President — of the Author — of Sir Edward Stracey, Lord 

 Wodehouse, Hon. and Rev. R, Wilson, Mr. Partridge, Mr. 

 Wodehouse, the Bishop of Norwich, &c. 



Impediments arise, which mar the Prospects of the Society . 55 

 Causes of Difference among the Committee — Mr. Rous's Letter 

 to the Author — The Author's Reply — His Letter to the Nor- 

 folk Chronicle — Mr. Burn on Home-Colonization — Improve- 

 ment in the Condition of Belgium consequent on the Growth 



The National Flax and Agricultural Improvement Association 66 

 Prospectus of the Association formed at Ipswich — Basis of its 

 Operations — Subscriptions — The Author's Suggestions — Re- 



of Flax. 



h 



