THE FLAX CROP IN HOLLAND. 77 



could be entertained, the subject is sufficiently important to 

 entitle it to a complete investigation. To those, however, who 

 are acquainted with the soil and climate of Holland, and other 

 parts from whence flax is imported into this country, and who 

 are capable of making a just comparison between them and 

 Great Britain, such an inquiry will appear superfluous, as the 

 advantage is decidedly in favour of the latter. 



The fact seems to be that the Dutch, who have been long 

 in possession of that trade, and who have, in consequence, arrived 

 at a higher degree of perfection in the management of flax in 

 all the different stages, both of its growth and manufacture, 

 are enabled not only to raise and dress it much better than we 

 are, but can bring it into the market at a cheaper rate ; and 

 as they have found it a most profitable article, they have in- 

 dustriously propagated an idea, which has been as readily be- 

 lieved in this country, that both the seed and flax raised in 

 Britain are greatly inferior to what is produced in Holland. 



It must be admitted, that where the crop is cultivated for 

 the sake of the flax only, it is generally separated from the 

 ground at so early a period that the seed has made very small 

 progress in ripening, and of course would, upon trial, be found 

 very unfit for the purpose of sowing next year. While this 

 practice {for which no reason that is completely satisfactory has 

 yet been assigned) continues, a new supply of seed will be an- 

 nually required; but I shall endeavour to show, in a subse- 

 quent part of this paper, that with proper management, and 

 without any additional expense, it is possible to unite the ad- 

 vantages of well-matured seed and a valuable crop of flax. 

 This is no visionary idea, as it is done in Holland and else- 

 where every year ; and the whitest, most durable, and easiest 

 bleached flax produced in those parts, is from crops where the 

 seed has been completely ripened. 



" It has been argued, and with some degree of plausibility, 

 that where the seed is ripened, the quality of the flax is not 

 only worse, but the soil is also much more exhausted than in 

 cases where it is pulled green. At first view this argument 

 appears well founded ; and certainly, if flax were pulled while 

 it is in flower, the exhaustion of the soil would be infinitely 

 less than when the seed is allowed to ripen ; but when it is 



