486 
Influence of Climate on Cultivation. 
crease of temperature during the early stages of the growth of 
the plant is, to a certain extent, a compensation for manure. The 
crop is sown eaily in the season when highly manured, and late 
when the land is poor. This custom is well brought out by the 
writer of the article ' Agriculture of Flanders,' in Morton's 
' Cyclopedia of Agriculture.' 
" In tlie environs around Courtray the best flax in Europe is grown on the 
rich dry soils of that district ; there thej^ make only use of rapecakes witli 
liquid manure. They take for the land that is not exhausted about 600 cakes 
per acre ; these cakes are soaked in the liquid manure for ten days, to be dis- 
solved, after which the ground is watered with the mixture. The time of 
sowing is very various in the different districts of Flanders, from the first 
week of March till the beginning of May. Near Courtray they sow first, and 
the farmers in the Aalst country, or on wet and heavy loam soils, are the 
latest. Tlie later the flax is soiun, the less if requires manure ; as, otherwise, 
the flax grows too speedily, too thin, and falls down." 
In the recent partial introduction of the cultivation of flax into 
Britain, the principles that attend its successful cultivation in 
Belgium are beginning to be more fully recognised. In Scotland 
and England, as well as in Ireland, the opinion was pretty pre- 
valent that the crop might be raised with little or no manure. In 
former times, indeed, it was seldom or never manured. It is now 
found, however, that quantity and quality are dependent on 
manuring and early sowing. On the rich silt-land in the neigh- 
bourhood of Spalding, in Lincolnshire, where a considerable 
quantity of flax is raised, it is found that it can scarcely be sown 
too early if the land is in good condition. The quality of flax 
fibre seems to be regulated by causes similar to those which 
regulate the quality of the straw of the cereals. By liberal manur- 
ing and early sowing, straw becomes finer in its colour and firmer 
in its texture. The rapid growth which results from late sowing 
on rich or highly-manured land renders the fibre of flax coarse 
and less valuable. For this reason, flax is of poor quality when 
grown in hot countries — such as Egypt and India. 
In Scotland experience is slightly different with respect to the 
culture of this crop. It is right to observe, however, that it has 
only been partially cultivated there, and in most cases where the 
climate is somewhat unpropitious as well as the soil. In these 
circumstances it has been found that it does not succeed so well 
when sown too early. The low temperature of the soil and 
air, when sown too early, keeps the plant too long in a semi- 
dormant condition, and in this state it sometimes suffers 
from rains and frosts. Late sowing gives a more vigorous 
plant, and, the summer heats being comparatively temperate, 
its growth is not so rapid. Indeed, flax sown in Scotland in 
the beginning of May almost occupies the land for as long 
a period as it does in Belgium when sown in the beginning 
