370 



On the Cultivation of Flax. 



Hence, a crop of some other kind may generally be taken after 

 the flax is pulled. White carrots are often sown broadcast ivith 

 the flax in Belgium, and the pulling of the flax moulds the 

 young plants, which increase rapidly afterwards, being generally 

 top-dressed with liquid manure. In this country, grass and clover 

 are generally sown along with the flax, so as to give a crop in the 

 following year ; but rape, winter vetches, or turnips of the stone 

 or Norfolk globe varieties may be advantageously grown, and used 

 before the following spring. 



As a general rule in flax culture, it may be stated, that after 

 any white crop the best produce will be had, except on very poor 

 soils ; but in such case the application of manure will give an 

 equally favourable result. The most valuable crops of flax have 

 been obtained from soil which had lain in pasture for a number 

 of years, and, on being broken up, had been planted with pota- 

 toes or turnips, followed by grain, and next the flax. 



Immediately after the grain is carried the ground should re- 

 ceive a ploughing. The harrow should follow, to clear off roots, 

 weeds, and dirt. The furrows should also be cleared out with 

 the plough, so that they may carry off all rain and surface-water 

 during the winter. In December a second ploughing may be 

 given, and the surface, thus exposed, be left to receive the benefit 

 of the frost. As no crop requires a more thorough pulverisation 

 of the soil than flax, to none is the disintegration of the particles 

 of stiff clay by the expansion, in freezing, of the water they con- 

 tain_, more beneficial. In spring this winter face must be well 

 harrowed, and a roller passed over the ground to consolidate the 

 surface. Care must be taken, in these operations, to lay off the 

 land in broad flats ; since, when sown in ridges, the plants grow 

 of different lengths on the tops and in the hollows. After the 

 rolling, a short-toothed or seed harrow follows, to prepare for the 

 seed. This will be a sufficient labouring on most soils, but very 

 heavy clays, especially after a rainy or mild winter, will require 

 an additional ploughing and harrov/ing about a month before the 

 last. Light soils, again, will do with one ploughing in Septem- 

 ber and another before sowing, harrowing thoroughly the second 

 time. 



In the choice of seed great care is necessary. The Belgians, 

 whom we may take as standards in everything regarding flax cul- 

 ture, prefer the seed imported from Riga which is the growth of the 

 year preceding its export. The seed raised in the follovv^ing year 

 from this, in Belgium, is considered next in value, while in some 

 districts the preference is even given to it. In Ireland, Riga seed 

 is now almost universally the favourite; but Dutch is considered 

 by some superior for heavy soils. This Dutch seed is also reared 

 from Riga, but is of the second year. The Riga seed, when sown 



