184 



FLAX IN THE ISLE OF MAN. 



and a reciprocity of interest be cemented^ to the incalculable 

 benefit of both. As a lively illustration of our future pro- 

 spects, I subjoin an extract from a letter received a few days 

 since from a correspondent, residing in the Isle of Man, whom 

 I have never seen. 



" Glen Villa, near Douglas, November 7th. 



"Dear Sir, 



" At the desire of Mr. Hardy, of Violet Hill, T visited 

 a flax- mill belonging to Mr. Hutcheson, of Market Hill (an 

 agent for the purchase of flax for Messrs. Marshall, of Leeds), 

 who has some improved machinery for breaking flax, and who 

 intends exhibiting it this week at Belfast, for the lOOZ. prize. 

 It did the work very well. Four girls broke suflicient for 14 

 scutchers and cleaners-off*. I was astonished to see in the yard 

 161 stacks of watered flax, waiting to be dressed. But my 

 surprise was much increased when Mr. Hardy told me that in 

 Armagh and Tandragee markets, from eight to ten thousand 

 pounds' worth of flax was sold at each market-day — had com- 

 menced as soon as any was ready, and would continue until 

 about Christmas. 



" I remain, yours truly, 



''Richard Nkcklin.'" 



The above account so remarkably corroborates my own 

 statements in St. Andrew's Hall, on the 6th of January last, 

 that I cannot refrain from repeating them on the present 

 occasion. 



" Methinks I see the flax-market at Norwich, hke the Thurs- 

 day market at Tandragee, which I lately witnessed in Ireland, 

 and the farmers busied in selling flax, and putting the ready 

 money in their pockets. It was a cheering sight, but not a 

 very brisk day; yet flax to the amount of three thousand 

 pounds was sold by farmers, whose occupations were all ex- 

 tremely small, not one of which, as I understood, exceeded fifty 

 acres." 



The walls of Norwich are surrounded by many thousand 

 acres of ordinary land, much of which now lies uncultivated and 



I 



