■414 On the Modes of Culture and Preparation of Flax, 
spots appear, a dressing of soot or of a stimulating artificial 
manure will much improve it, and should be applied in wet 
weather. The use of artificial manure in the case of flax is 
objectionable, unless to invigorate a crop, the growth of which 
is retarded by untoward weather. Farmers should always select 
land calculated to produce a crop under average circumstances 
without the aid of stimulating manures. 
Weeding should commence as soon as the flax is abraird and 
the weeds begin to appear, and should continue at intervals tiU 
the crop has attained a height of 4 to 7 inches, pulling the seed- 
weeds and cutting the larger ones that have strong roots. The 
weeders should have no shoes on, and they must be most careful 
to tread on the flax as gently as possible, putting down the foot 
flat, and not twisting it while on the ground ; the crop will 
quickly recover the effects of careful weeding. After this 
operation, nothing remains to be done until the crop is ready 
for pulling. When the blossoms fall and the bolls are formed, 
the flax has attained its height. If the weather is dry, and has 
been so for some time, do not on any account attempt to pull 
the weeds, as that would injure the crop materially by loosening- 
the ground about the root of the tender plant, and cause it to 
yellow and become sickly, from which it will seldom recover. 
Better allow the crop to remain unweeded — in fact, never weed 
unless the ground is damp. 
When ready for pulling, the stalk next the ground will become 
of a pale yellow, the leaves will fall off 8 to 10 inches from 
the ground, and the top seed-bolls will also assume a slight 
brownish hue. Judgment is required : taken too young will 
make a tender fibre, and loss will occur in scutching ; allowed 
to get too ripe will make a dry coarse 
Fig. I.— A hcet of Flax. ^^^^ Experienced hands should, if possi- 
ble, be secured for pulling; cliildren will 
not do. The flax is caught a short way 
below the bolls, and by a dexterous jerk 
of the arm removed from the soil. It is 
then laid down in handfuls as pulled, of 
a size that can be conveniently grasped, 
and crossed, so as not to entangle, the 
<-^-:'^S(f^^!ll(^^SS^»fSM^' butt- or root-ends to be kept as even as 
possible, and then tied in beets (Fig. 
' No. 1). 
If the crop is to be rippled, it should then be carried by 
children to the ripplers. The rippling-comb need not be 
described, as it can be bought very suitable for the purpose ; 
but round iron for the teeth is much preferable to square— 
the latter is liable to tear the Bax. It should be bolted to 
