2 BULLETIN 1471, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
At the beginning of this century the United States was approach- 
ing its maximum production of flaxseed. The production in 1902 
was 29,285,000 bushels. From 1910 to 1922 there was a heavy decline 
in production. The average annual production of flaxseed for the 
10-year period, 1913 to 1922, inclusive, was 11,890.000 bushels. In 
the five-year period from 1918 to 1922, inclusive, the yearly produc- 
tion of flaxseed was only 9,960,000 bushels. During the period 
1913-1922 the importation of flaxseed and linseed oil in terms of 
flaxseed averaged 16,177,000 bushels a year ; the average net consump- 
tion was about 27,500,000 bushels. 
Because of the relatively low prices paid for wheat in 1921 and 
1922, and a need for diversified farming in the spring-wheat belt, 
many farmers began to raise flaxseed as a cash crop or to increase 
their flaxseed acreage. To stimulate an industry which seemed to 
be rapidly declining, Congress increased the duty on flaxseed im- 
ports to 30 cents per bushel in 1921, and to 40 cents per bushel in 
1922. This tariff also placed a duty of 3.3 cents per pound on lin- 
seed oil, or the equivalent of 62 cents per bushel on flaxseed. This 
protection and the prevailing high prices of flaxseed renewed interest 
in the crop, so that by 1924 production increased to 31,711,000 
bushels. Unusual building activities during a part of this period 
stimulated the use of linseed oil and the net consumption was equiv- 
alent to 37,000,000 bushels of flaxseed. 
The production, net imports including linseed oil in terms of flax- 
seed, and the net supply available for consumption each year from 
1911 to 1925, inclusive, are given in Table 1. The domestic produc- 
tion in 1924 was 31,711,000 bushels and the imports from July 1 to 
December 31, .1924, 5,124,033 bushels, a totalof 35,297,033 bushels. 
These imports cover only the first half of the import year. In addi- 
tion, Argentine seed en route to this country as well as large quan- 
tities of seed in terminal storage in Canada awaiting importation to 
the United States would increase this figure considerably. Linseed 
crushers believe that in the future the industry will require approxi- 
mately 40,000,000 bushels annually if present conditions of consump- 
tion continue. 
Table 1. — Flaxseed acreage, production, importations, exporatlons, and net 
supply, P.) 11-1 925 
Year beginning July 1 
Acreage 
Produc- 
tion 
Imports J 
Exports i 
Net supply 
1911 
2, 757, 000 
2, 851, 000 
2, 291, 000 
1, 645, 000 
1, 387, 000 
1, 474, 000 
1, 984, 000 
1, 910, 000 
1, 503, 000 
1, 757, 000 
1, 108, 000 
1, 113,000 
2, 014, 000 
3, 469, 000 
3, 012, 000 
Bushels 
19, 370, 000 
28, 073, 000 
17, 853, 000 
13, 749, 000 
14, 030, 000 
14, 296, 000 
9, 164, 000 
13, 369, 000 
7, 256, 000 
10, 774, 000 
8, 029, 000 
10, 375, 000 
17, 060, 000 
31, 711, 000 
22, 007, 000 
Bushels 
7, 136, 708 
5, 363, 772 
8, 730, 148 
10, 880, 331 
14, 699, 292 
12,438,311 
13, 386, 860 
8, 822, 811 
25, 212, 090 
16, 960, 049 
22, 629, 693 
28, 033, 335 
20, 528, 198 
14, 677, 053 
( 2 ) 
Bushels 
125, 327 
710, 641 
401, 571 
552, 030 
288, 279 
481, 639 
498, 548 
454, 791 
505, 786 
226,000 
150,886 
165, 840 
140, 174 
( 2 ) 
( 2 ) 
Bushels 
26, 381, 381 
1912 
32, 727, 131 
26, 181, 577 
1913 
1914 . 
24, 077, 301 
1915 
28, 441, 013 
1916 
26, 252, 672 
1917 
22, 052, 312 
1918 
21, 737, 020 
1919 
31, 962, 304 
1920 
27, 508, 049 
1921... . 
30, 507, 807 
38, 242, 495 
1922 
1923 
37, 448, 024 
1924 . ' 
46, 388, 053 
1925 
( 2 ) 
< 
1 Including seed and oil expressed as bushels of seed. 
2 No report. 
