EFFECT OF FLAX CULTIVATION IN BELGIUM. 



65 



discerning few : for the opulent^ who alone could purchase, 

 would be the only persons who could live ; all other classes 

 without money would starve ; and the former^ who would soon 

 find there was no public, would quickly be placed in the like 

 predicament." 



The tenor of Mr. Burn's letter is to show that the cultiva- 

 tion of a portion only of the waste lands might be made to 

 yield infinitely more than would be sufficient to maintain all 

 our pauper population, repeal the five millions of poor rates, 

 and enable the manufacturer to become a successful competitor 

 in the foreign market. 



Admirable as are the sound and practicable propositions of 

 this true lover of his country, I must think that the plan of 

 cultivating flax offers a relief more particularly suited to the 

 present exigency than any other; because, wherever linseed 

 is sown, in less than four months the redundant population 

 might be employed in preparing the crop for market. So 

 immediate would be the relief afforded ! I therefore advise 

 all whose incomes depend upon farm produce to grow a small 

 quantity this spring, in order that they may acquire some 

 experience in the management of the crop. The seed alone 

 will repay, and the experience gained prove helpful for 

 the following year. Forty-five years ago the Belgians were 

 in poverty and misery. Since that time the encouragement 

 given to the growth of flax by England has so improved their 

 condition, that scarcely any poor are to be found amongst 

 them. Where villages formerly stood^ towns have been built 

 up with British gold. And to show the extent to which 

 money has been sent out of this country, in consequence of the 

 encouragement given to foreign agriculture and to the em- 

 ployment of foreign labourers, I beg to refer the reader to the 

 letters of the Messrs. Marshall, where he will perceive that the 

 average cost of raising and preparing a crop of the finer de- 

 scriptions of flax for market is 13Z. 10s. per acre, including 51. 

 rent, and the average value 23/. per acre, leaving a clear 

 profit, independent of the seed, of 9/. ] Os. per acre. Now it is 

 reported that the Messrs. Marshall annually import flax to 

 the amount of one million sterling. Calculating the value of 

 the flax at only 20Z. per acre, the gross quantity of acres 



