AGRICULTURE OF PERTHSHIRE. 



85 



made into buckram, at 7d. per yard, yields 16/ 16 ; arid 

 these three articles thrown together make 317/. 1('5. as the 

 produce of an acre of flax ; and this, or near to this, without 

 straining the argument, may be supposed to be the medium 

 that an acre of British flax will produce. For though it should 

 be argued that linen at 4^. ^d. per yard is above the medium 

 that British flax could be manufactured to, yet when it is con- 

 sidered that, though 85. or 2>s. 6d. should be rather said to be 

 the medium, yet as the increase of the number of yards would 

 in that case be in proportion to the decrease of the value of the 

 yards, it would make but a trifling variation in the account. 



But to conclude, as it is a certain truth that every acre of 

 flax in Flanders, taking one acre with another, at a medium, 

 does not produce good 300/. in manufactured goods to that 

 country, and that Great Britain does naturally produce as rich 

 crops, and of as good a quality, not to say better, than Flan- 

 ders; I see no reason why we may not conclude that an acre 

 of flax, properly cultivated and manufactured, will yield the 

 same advantage to Great Britain that it does at present to 

 Flanders ; and that it is in our power, by suitable encourage- 

 ments, to snatch that manufacture out of the hands of the 

 Flemish, as we have formerly done the woollens. 



I am. Sir, yours, &c. 

 1742. Samuel Homespun. 



Agriculture in the County of Perth. — By James Robertson, D.D. 



The culture of flax is universal in this part of the kingdom, 

 but is not carried to such an extent in any other place as in the 

 districts of Stormont, the west end of Strathmore, and Athol. 

 The farmers in other places generally grow some for their own 

 use; and where the land is more favourable for that plant, 

 they are able to supply those whose soil does not raise it to 

 advantage. The clay land seems to be of too close a texture 

 for its tender roots, and binds too much to allow the fibres to 

 expand themselves in quest of nourishment. The light sandy 

 soil, on the other hand, is too weak to carry a heavy crop. 



If linseed be sown, with an intention to let the flax remain 



