436 



scutching the fibre previous to sale to the manufacturer. 

 The details are as follow : — Proportion of 



manual labour. 







£. 



s. 



d. 





s. 



d. 







2 



0 



0 





— 





One ploughing before winter .., 





0 



7 



0 



... 0 



2 



0 



Dressing — dragging, rolling, harrowing, 



















0 



12 



6 



... 0 



7 



6 







0 



7 



0 



... 0 



2 



0 



Interest of capital and use of machinery 



0 



10 



0 . 









Harrowing, sowing, and rolling the seed 



0 



5 



0 



... 0 



1 



6 







0 



17 



6 . 









Weeding, 6 women 1 day, at Is. 





0 



6 



0 . 



... 0 



6 



0 



Pulling the crop — 



$. d. 

















, 12 0 

















6 0 



















0 



18 



0 . 



... 0 



18 



0 



Steeping, 4 men 1 day, \ 





0 



8 



0 . 



... 0 



8 



0 



or 2 men 2 days, J 







Grassing, ditto ditto 





0 



8 



0 . 



.. 0 



8 



0 



Scutching, 50 stone weight, at Is 



i. 6d.... 



3 



15 



0 . 



.. 3 



15 



0 







0 



10 



0 . 



.. 0 



4 



0 



RippHng or thrashing — 



s d 

















8 0 

















6 0 

















0 



14 



0 . 



.. 0 



14 



0 







0 



2 



0 . 











£12 



0 



0 



£7 



6 



0 



If the above data are tolerably correct, an interesting 

 inquiry ensues. Whether flax cannot be produced on such 

 terms as successfully to compete in its cost with cotton, and 

 still leave a fair and reasonable remuneration to the grower ? 

 Should this be the case, linen may then be extensively used 

 as a common fabric ; not as a luxury confined to the more 

 wealthy members of the community, but as an economic, as 

 well as a most desirable and durable, material for both per- 

 sonal and domestic use. Now suppose that £4 per acre be 

 considered a fair profit to the farmer, the produce, in order 



