206 



FLAX CULTURE AT WORSTEAD. 



A correct account of the actual cost of an Acre of Flax, grown for fibre 

 principally, on very good land, at Worstead, in the year 1845, and of the 



produce : — 



£ s. d. 



Rent, tithe, and rates 290 



Three ploughings, harrowings, and sowings 12 



3^ bushels of seed of superior quality, bought of Mr. T. Cubitt, 



Witton 1 10 7i 



30 barrels liquid manure 076 



Pulling 110 



Rippling, &c., sorting, and tying 13 6 



Carting to steeping-place 040 



Carting hurdles, wood, &c., to sink the flax 5 



Putting flax into steep, taking it out, untying, spreading, turning, 



and re-tying 120 



Carting flax into barn 040 



Fetching scutching-machine nine miles 6 



Hire of 2 horses of Mr. Lacey, Tunstead, two weeks . . .300 



Food ditto, at lis. per w^eek each horse 2 4 



Three men and one lad breaking flax, scutching ditto with ma* 



chine, and one boy driving the horses twelve days . . . 5 15 6 



Bags for packing flax in 7 6 



Carriage and freight of flax to Leeds, commission on sale of 



ditto, &c 1116 



£22 13 li 



8 load manure for turnips, &c., grown after the flax . . .200 



£24 13 ]A 



PKODUCE. 



50 St. fine flax, sold on the average at 85. 9d. per stone . . 21 17 6 



6i St. tow, at 2s. per stone 0130 



3 cwt. refuse, at 5s. per cwt. . . .. . . . .0150 



3 bushels unripe seed (consumed) 15 



£24 6 



Turnips as spring feed 200 



£26 6 



Deduct expenditure ' 24 1 3 1a 



Remaining . . £l 6 4^ 



This statement is given as showing the value of an acre of flax in a favour- 

 able season, when proper care has been taken in the cultivation of the plant 

 and in the management of it during the steeping process. The expense of 

 scutching has been extraordinarily high, owing to the necessity of being 



