210 



THE AUTHOR REFUTES 



rejoice, not because of a paltry triumph over an unprincipled 

 opposition^ but because of the benefits which the British farmer 

 and the British labourer will derive through the circulation of 

 those immense sums now sent to foreign countries for flax, lin- 

 seed, oil, and cake. 



From reports laid before the Board of Agriculture many 

 years since, and other documents on the cultivation of flax, in- 

 trusted to me by Lord Hastings, I perceive that half a guinea 

 per bushel was a common price for sowing seed, and not unfre- 

 quently 145, Extracts from those writings in the form of a 

 pamphlet will shortly be published, at his Lordship's desire, for 

 general circulation, when some remarkable facts, confirmatory 

 of my oft-repeated statements relative to the value, utility, 

 and advantages of the flax-crop will appear. 



Mr. Gower observes, ''It is but just to state that the 

 crop of 1843 was cultivated under Mr. Warnes's almost daily 

 direction." 



This I utterly deny. — Trimingham is distant about twelve 

 miles from Dilham — a place that I have scarcely seen half a 

 dozen times during the past fifteen j^ears. Mr. Gower adds, 

 " he sent the seed, the man, and drill ; — it stood until Mr. W. 

 said it was ' nice and brown then it was spread on the land, 

 and afterwards turned with a long stick ; and ultimately, when 

 it had been exposed to the sun and weather as long as he di- 

 rected, it was stacked; but not till it had been so injured by 

 such treatment that it was worth little or nothing." I certainly 

 had the pleasure of sending a man, drill, and seed to several 

 persons in the neighbourhood of Dilham, who were anxious to 

 try the experiment. To all I afforded the best information in 

 my power; nor am I aware that any of their crops were 

 injured through my interference ; certainly not Mr. Gower's. 

 But I can confidently aver, that after the seed had been 

 threshed, the stalks were stacked, and so improperly thatched, 

 that the rain penetrated the sheaves in every direction, and 

 rotted many ; they were then sent to North Walsham to be 

 prepared. I refer to Mr. Demann. 



How astonishing that Mr. Gower should have been so ill 

 advised as to rest his attempted refutation of No. 9 upon ma- 

 terials so unsound ! I say attempted, because in no respect 



