208 



Flax, its treatment, 



Flax lias ever occupied a prominent position in tlie agricul- 

 ture of civilized countries. In our own we have seen that the 

 government of early times encouraged its cultivation by special 

 bounties. This policy was pursued up to a more recent period — 

 nay, it even now is to a certain extent continued.* 



Notwithstanding this encouragement the supply has never 

 been equal to the demand, and each year's imports show us the 

 very large sums which we annually contribute to the farmers 

 of other countries for an article of produce especially suited to 

 our own, and which on all hands is now acknowledged to be, 

 under fair management, a paying crop. Our imports of dressed 

 fibre (flax and hemp) average, for the last ten years, 70,000 tons 

 per annum ; which, at 40Z. per ton, amount to 2,800,000/. To 

 this we must add 1,500,000/., the value of 650,000 quarters of 

 linseed, used as seed and for crushing purposes ; and about 

 500,000/. the cost of 70,000 tons of oilcake, which we annually 

 import, in addition to that made at home, for feeding purposes. 

 The quantity of flax fibre necessary to supply the demand of the 

 United Kingdom would consume the produce of 500,000 acres; 

 while in Ireland during the past year only 136,000 were culti- 

 vated, and probably not a fourth of that quantity in the rest of 

 the kingdom. The greatest obstacle that has stood in the way 

 of its cultivation has been the diflicuity in finding a market for 

 the straw. Improved farming has readily and beneficially dis- 

 posed of the seed ; and the improved methods of treating the 

 straw, recently brought out, will no doubt tend sooner than any- 

 thing else to create markets where the grower will find a certain 

 and remunerative sale for it. Let these be once established in 

 suitable districts, and let the relation between the producer and 

 consumer be properly understood — let their respective interests 

 be clearly shown — and I confess I should have far more faith in 

 theii^ agency than in any bounty or legislative assistance that 

 could be given. 



Having brought my subject through the first period of its 

 technical history, the preparation of the fibre, I may perhaps be 

 permitted to say a few words on the state of the flax industry 

 generally in our own and in other countries, from some of which 

 we draw annually large supplies of fibre. In England, in 1851, 

 the Factory Inspectors' Report gives the number of spindles at 

 265,568; in Scotland at 303,125; and in Ireland at 500,000: 

 forming a total number of l,068,693.t In France we find the 

 number of spindles to be about 350,000 ; the establishments 

 being situated chiefly in the departments du Nord, Calvados, 



* lOOOZ. per annum is granted to the Flax Tmprovement Society, by the Govern- 

 xnent, in accordance with the Act 11 and 12 Vic, cap. 115. 

 t The Report for 1852 shows a slight increase. 



