228 



PROFIT OF ONE ACRE OF FLAX. 





£. 



s. 



d. 



Rent, tithe, and rates . . . 



2 











Two winter ploughings ...... 







12 







Spring farrowing down, ploughing, sowing, and bushing 







11 







One thousand gallons of liquid manure 







15 







Three bushels of seed ...... 



1 











Weeding and pulling crop ..... 



1 



2 







Steeping, drying, and retymg, &c. . . . , 



1 











Scutching 54 stone of flax, at 35. per stone . 



8 



2 









£15 



2 







Value of the crop — 54 stone of flax, at 9*. per stone 



£24 



6 







Balance .... 



£9 



4 







It was afterwards discovered that four stone of flax had 

 been omitted, and that five stone of tow, ten bushels of seed, 

 a quantity of chaff", and about a ton of broken stalks, ought to 

 have been added, in order to render the report complete ; also 

 the after-crop of turnips, as the rent, rates, and tithe were 

 charged to the flax-crop. Without the aid of a very close 

 scrutiny, it will be seen that several pounds might be placed 

 to the acknowledged profit of 9Z. 4^., and that a sum clear of 

 all expenses was realized greatly exceeding the profit from 

 any other crop. Considering the number of hands employed, 

 and that from ten to twelve pounds or more were distributed 

 amongst the poor in wages, I think it will be allowed that a 

 candid and clear relation of these facts, with which Mr. Gower 

 was so well acquainted, would have been more edifying to the 

 meeting, and more creditable to himself, than the awful history 

 of the application of fourteen loads of manure to the worn-out 

 soil. The company would then have perceived that the cul- 

 tivation of flax opens a door for the profitable employment of 

 British capital, — for the advancement of the agriculture and 

 home commerce of the United Kingdom, and for the removal 

 of those grievances to which the labouring classes have so long 

 been subjected. 



With respect to the Rev. D. Gwilt's remarks on my con- 

 troversial letters, I have onl}^ to observe, that I attempted not 



