1920.] Linseed Grown in Scotland. 27 



made. In the case of imported gooseberries, such a system 



of inspection led to the adoption of a somewhat similar method 



of inspection by exporting countries, resulting in the despatch 



of much cleaner fruit to this country. If similar steps were 



taken in regard to nursery stocks arriving here from abroad, 



there would be good reason for expecting an improvement 



in quality and cleanliness. In addition, the danger of epidemics 



arising from the introduction of foreign plant enemies would 



be considerably lessened. 



****** 



An account was published in the issue of this Journal for 

 October last, p. 725, of the work of the Flax Production 

 Branch of the Ministry with a view to 

 Composition of enc0liraging the home cultivation of flax. 

 Linseed Grown 6 xm u j • *i. • t ±u 



in Scotland. ^ n artlc le published in the issue 01 the 



Journal of the Board of Agriculture for 

 Scotland, October, 191 9, gives a brief account of the work of 

 the Flax Production Branch in 191 8 in regard to the Fife 

 centre (of about 1,300 acres) in Scotland, and contains some 

 interesting facts in regard to the composition of the crop of 

 seed produced. 



It is stated that although the crop in Scotland was grown 

 with the object of producing fibre, the seed also was saved, and 

 the opportunity was taken of obtaining samples of the seed for 

 analysis, particularly for the determination of their oil content, 

 it being thought that it would be of interest to Scottish farmers 

 generally to know what percentage of oil might be expected in 

 seed grown in Scotland under these circumstances. 



The Flax Production Centre issued full instructions* for the 

 guidance of farmers prepared to grow flax in Fife, with the 

 result that, within limits, the crop was raised under more or 

 less similar conditions, more especially as to its place in the 

 rotation, time of sowing and of harvesting, manuring, etc. 



The seed supplied to the farmers was all from one source, 

 being Dutch, a sample of which taken from bulk was found on 

 analysis to have the following composition : — 



Moisture 



7'g8 per cent 



Oil 



39*20 



Albuminoids 



22"I9 



Fibre 



5*33 



Ash 



474 



Soluble Carbohydrates 



20-56 





IOO'OO 



See also note in this Journal, February, 191 8, p. 1241. 



