On the Cultivation of Flax. 



471 



for healing the seed, and of afterwards hoeing and weeding, much 

 damage being frequently done to the young plants by the women and 

 children trampling it for the latter purpose. 



Harvesting. — The crop in ordinary seasons is ripe enough to be 

 pulled about the middle of July, but the usual criterion of its being in a 

 fit state for that purpose is the leaves having dropped off the stalks 

 about 6 inches from the ground. It is then pulled, and either stripped 

 of the seed-bolls at once in the field, or tied up in small sheaves, and 

 carted off to some convenient place where the sheaves are again opened 

 and spread thin for drying. They are afterwards tied up again, and 

 removed to some convenient place for "stamping" — this is done on a 

 dry dirt-fl^or, with a large wooden mallet, when the bolls are " stamped" 

 off. The flax is then again tied up and ricked, where it remains until 

 it is wanted for spreading, previously to " swingling or if intended 

 to be immediately prepared for market, it is spread abroad on a piece of 

 grass-land or stubble, where it remains (being turned over at intervals of 

 about three days if wet weather, or it may remain a much longer time if 

 dry) until it is in a fit state for " swingling," an operation for separating 

 the fibre from the stalk, previously to which it is dried over a slow fire, 

 which renders the operation more easy and perfect. It is then tied up 

 in " dozens," which are bundles of 12 lbs. each, which is the last opera- 

 tion of the grower, and is then fit for the spinner. From forty to fifty 

 dozens an acre is a good average crop, and is worth at the present time 

 about bs. Qd. per dozen. 



It is not unusual to plough the land on which the flax grew imme- 

 diately on the removal of the crop, and sow it with early turnip, rape, 

 and in some instances mustard-seed, which will on an average of seasons 

 be fit for feeding with sheep in about nine or ten weeks from the time of 

 sowing. The feeding off the crop on the land with sheep being com- 

 pleted, the land is then immediately prepared for wheat, thus getting 

 two crops off the land, and a third sown in the same year. 



APPENDIX C. 



Referred to at page 460. 

 The Management of Flax in Somersetshire. 



By *— *— of Y— . 



^ Flax requires a loamy soil, in good condition, well drained if pre- 

 viously incHned to be wet, and the principal thing to be attended to is to 

 obtain as fine a texture as possible. For this purpose the land should 

 be ploughed early, so as to expose it as much as possible to the action of 

 the frosts and weather. 



The best crop for flax to succeed is young grass; but in good land it 

 answers well after stubbles, if previously well manured by folding with 

 sheep, and this is generally the best manure for the growth of flax. 



If the land be wet, it should by all means be drained, or the plant 

 will probably be attacked by a disease called the rust, which eats through 



2 I 2 



