431 



That the scarcity of cotton, and its consequent enhanced 

 price, has diminished its consumption, is abundantly notorious; 

 and the greatly curtailed hours of labour, with the attendant 

 curtailment in the amount of wages paid, are now having 

 their baneful effect upon the operatives employed in that 

 branch of manufacture. It may certainly be urged that the 

 high price of food has been the main cause of the diminished 

 demand for manufactures of all descriptions, — and no doubt 

 it has had its effect. But even with this greatly decreased 

 demand for cotton goods, the raw material has much increased 

 in price ; and had no scarcity of food occurred, and the con- 

 sumption of that description of goods not diminished, it is 

 obvious that, with the present scarcity of cotton, a much 

 greater advance in price must have occurred than has taken 

 place. 



Under these circumstances we naturally look around for 

 some substitute which may fulfil the conditions before-men- 

 tioned, — either costing less, or being qualified to produce a 

 superior fabric at the same price. And it appears to me, 

 from all the information which I can obtain on the subject, 

 that, probably. Flax is the material most likely to afford these 

 desiderata ; and that, as cotton formerly, in a great measure, 

 superseded the use of flax, so the latter may again obtain 

 the ascendancy, or become a formidable rival. From the 

 much higher price that fine flax has hitherto commanded, 

 as compared with cotton, such an idea may at first view 

 appear Utopian ; but, from the reports published by Mr. 

 Warnes, of Norfolk, and Mr. Dickson, of London, both of 

 whom have had practical experience in the cultivation of 

 flax, the profits derived by those growers who manage their 

 crops judiciously, are so satisfactory as to justify the hope 

 that a good quality of flax may be afforded at even a lower 

 price than cotton, and still yield ample remuneration to the 

 producer. 



