UTILIZATION OP AMERICAN FLAX STRAW. 3 
The utilization of the remaining 1,400,000 tons would be of im- 
mense economic importance, since (1) its paper-producing possi- 
bilities are equal to the annual production of wrapping paper and 
more than double the annual production of writing paper in the United 
States; (2) its sale would represent an added revenue to the farmers 
of about $5,000,000 annually; (3) it would exert a very strong 
tendency toward maintaining the flax crop in our agricultural 
system; (4) it probably would result in the establishment of paper- 
manufacturing industries in sections where there are none; (5) 
it would aid in making our paper industry more independent of 
foreign raw paper-making materials; and (6) it would produce a 
keener realization of the latent value of some of our enormous crop 
wastes. 
MIGRATION OF THE FLAX CROP. 
The acreage of the flax crop has not remained permanent in any 
one section, and it is this constant migration which is of as vital 
importance as is its total available tonnage. 
The total crop is variable in acreage and yield to the extent shown 
by Table I. 
Table I. — Acreage and yield of the flax crop in the United States for 1899, 1902, 
and from 1909 to 1914, inclusive. 
Year. 
Acres. 
Bushels of 
seed. 
Year. 
Acres. 
Bushels of 
seed. 
1899 
2,110,000 
3, 740, 000 
2, 083, 000 
2, 467, 000 
19,979,000 
29,285,000 
19,512,000 
12, 718, 000 
1911 
2,757,000 
2,851,000 
2,291,000 
1,885,000 
19, 370, 000 
1902 
1912 
28,073,000 
17, 853, 000 
1909 . 
1913 
1910 
1914 
15, 559, 000 
During its entire history flax has been a pioneer crop, being 
used as a first crop on the upturned virgin soil. This soil is 
claimed to be too rich for corn and other cereals, but, on account 
of the very meager root system of the flax plant, it thrives here at 
its best. Flax does not do as well on the same land until after other 
crops have been raised and the land put into grass again, when it is 
ready to be broken up for a new flax seed bed. The old prevalent 
idea that the flax crop is very exhausting to soil fertility has been 
shown to be a fallacy, 1 and it has been proved that it does not tax 
the soil fertility as much as either wheat or oats. 
Table II gives statistics of flax acreage which show the migration 
of the crop in certain States since 1899. 
i Bolley, H. L. Flax culture. N. Dak. Agr. Exp. Sta. Press Bull. 46, 4 p., 3 figs. 
1911. 
Bull, C. P. Flax growing. Minn. ITarmers' Libr. Ext. Bui. 27, 8 p., illus. 1912. 
