366 



Oil tlte Cultivation of Flax. 



It has been exported from Ireland to France and Belgium, and 

 for particular grists of yarn, were it generally grown in Great 

 Britain, a considerable export might arise to those countries. The 

 hot summers of Russia and Egypt cause a dryness and brittle- 

 ness of fibre, and prevent it retaining that elasticity, pliancy, and 

 oiliness which characterise the flaxes of Belgium, Holland and 

 Ireland. Occasional samples of flax grown in Ireland have 

 brought as high prices as the best of Belgian growth ; but these 

 have occurred only under the most favourable circumstances as to 

 soil and water^ and with the most careful management of the 

 plant. The best samples of British flax that I have seen have 

 brought 65Z. to 70/. per ton. Some vras lately grown in Norfolk 

 worth 85/., and some from Bedford sold in Leeds for 100/. per 

 ton. The entire quantity of flax required for British manufac- 

 ture would occupy from 350,000 to 400,000 acres annually. This 

 vrould furnish the fibre now consumed, but the produce of seed 

 would fall at least 150,000 quarters short of the present con- 

 sumption for feeding cattle, even after leaving out of account 

 altogether the large quantity of oil-cakes now imported. Taking 

 all these points into consideration, it may be estimated that half a 

 million of acres might fairly be devoted to the flax-crop in Great 

 Britain. 



I shall now proceed, seriatim, with the details concerning the 

 culture and management of the plant, with reference to its adop- 

 tion in this countrv. 



Although our climate is peculiarly adapted to the growth of 

 the plant, some localities are more suitable than others. In 

 general, those districts which possess the most equable tempera- 

 ture will be found the most suitable. A regular supply of genial 

 moisture in spring, without an excess of wet in autumn, is most 



I'eau ; les Irlandais vont boire et s'enivrer ; pendant ce temps le lin peut 

 s'echauffer a fair. Nos paysans sont soigneux ; ils retirent leiir lin tantot 

 au bout de 5 jours et tantot au bout de 8 jours, suivant I'etat du lin ; les 

 Irlandais le font quand cela leur plait. Notre lin est couvert de boue; 

 nous I'etendons sur une belle prairie, et a la premiere ondee de Teau il se 

 nettoie : en Irlande on le jette presque au hasard. Les femmes cheznous 

 se chargent souvent des preparations; en Irlande ils se servent de moulins. 

 Xous avons envoyes en Angleterre quelques families qui sont revenues 

 depuis ; mais ces paysans m'ont dit qu"on pourrait avoir du bon lin dans 

 ces pays. Pendant la guerre nous n'exportions pas, la Hollande non plus ; 

 les Anglais faisaient cependant d'aussi belles toiles qu'aujourd" hui ; alors on 

 lecoltait de bons iins dans le Yorkshire, et en Irlande ; aujourd'hui iJs 

 ont plus neglige la culture, 11 faut prendre garde de donner des encou- 

 ragements." Again, — '-Le paysan Irlandais trouve que cette culture le 

 paye : il ne se plaint pas ; que serait-ce s"il Tameliorait ? Les Anglais cul- 

 tivent une certaine qualite de lin, mais depuis la paix cela a beaucoup 

 diminue: on peut citerle comte d"York, et principalement les environs de 

 Selby et de Gainsborough." 



