071 the Cultivation of Flax. 



461 



season, and snow has a very beneficial effect in ripening it. The 

 grass on which the flax has been spread grows with great luxuri- 

 ance afterwards, which may be an object of some importance to 

 the farmer. The test for knowing when the flax has been suffi- 

 ciently dew-retted, is the same as for ascertaining when it has been 

 sufficiently steeped and grassed — namely, when the woody part 

 of the stalk separates easily from the fibre — it is then fitted for 

 breaking, and may either be stacked, or be broken and scutched 

 immediately, at the option of the grower, all the processes being 

 precisely the same as those already described. 



Before concluding this portion of the subject, I will venture to 

 give an estimate of the value to the grower of an acre of flax ; 

 for although any such estimate must at best be uncertain, de- 

 pending as it does upon variable contingencies, it may never- 

 theless not be without its use in this place. 



The produce of flax per acre, under a good system of cultiva- 

 tion, is generally found to be from 40 to 50 stone, although 60 

 stone is not unfrequently obtained, and this quantity has in several 

 instances been grown in Norfolk wdthin the last few years. Forty 

 stone per acre may therefore, I think, be assumed as a safe ave- 

 rage. The price for flax of average quality may fairly be taken 

 at 7s. 6c?. per stone of 14 lbs., but that of the finer qualities is 

 much higher. The general yield of seed per acre is from 16 to 

 24 bushels, but it sometimes rises to 30 bushels, and 20 bushels 

 may therefore be taken as a moderate average. The price of 

 linseed varies from 8s. to \0s. per bushel for the finest sorts for 

 sowing, to 65. and 75. for the common kind, such as is used for 

 crushing and cattle -feeding, and 7s. per bushel may therefore be 

 assumed as a fair average. Against these estimations must be 

 placed the rent of the land, and the charges of cultivation and 

 preparing the fibre for market. The account for an acre of flax 

 will then stand as follows : — 



Payments. 





£. 



s. 



d. 



Rent, rates, and taxes, say 

 2i bushels of seed, at 9s. . 



1 



10 



0 





2 



6 





] 



0 



0 



Pulling, steeping,, &c. 



1 



10 



0 



Beetling 20 bushels seed, at Is. 









and re-tying the flax . 



1 



0 



0 



Breaking and scutching 40 stone 









at 2s. per stone 



4 



0 



0 



£ 



10 



2 



6 



Receipts. 



£. s. d. 



40 stone of flax,* at 7s. 6i, . 15 0 0 



20 bushels of seed, at 7s. . 7 0 0 



Chaff, refuse flax, and tow 0 10 0 



22 10 0 



Deduct outlay ... 10 2 6 



Leaving a balance in favour 



of the grower of . , £12 7 6 



* In last October Mr. Warnes sold, in the open market at Leeds, the 

 whole of his flax raised and prepared at Trirainghara, and obtained 855. 



