1854 . 
THE CULTIVATOR, 
107 
rect, which breaks the crust without bringing it to the 
surface, until in time it has been mellowed by the na¬ 
tural effects of atmosphere and rain.” 
Mr. Viall, as reported by Cutkbert W. Johnson, sta¬ 
ted that “ He used the subsoil plow on a piece of light 
land for turneps, &c— plowed it with the common plow 
5 or 6 inches, and then with the subsoil plow 10 or 12 
inches.” He says further: “ I then sowed it with bar¬ 
ley ; the crop was good, and it never faded away; it 
was a hot piece of land, and in dry weather some of it 
would burn, but after using the subsoil, it did not.” 
He said be had also used it successfully on heavy clay 
land. 
We have the very general, and so far as I know the 
uniform testimony of British farmers to the' benefit of 
subsoiling on all lands not troubled with under water. 
There can he no doubt, that the deepening of a soil, by 
first stirring the under crust with the subsoil plow, and 
then bringing it up gradually with the common plow, 
greatly increases its capability. 
3. It might not however be advisable for all who cul¬ 
tivate the ground to go into it at once. There is a ques¬ 
tion of time;—in our new states, where the surface soil is 
rich, and yet shows no symptoms of exhaustion, the time 
for deepening the cultivation may not have yet come. 
There is also a question of economy;—in regions far re¬ 
moved from a good market, it might not pay. Possibly 
there may he lands all over our country, which, owing 
to some peculiarity of the subsoil, it might be wise to 
“skim over,” and to take from them what the surface 
will give. But with these exceptions, if they are to be 
admitted as such, of which I have some doubt, an op¬ 
posite policy should prevail. Especially should it he 
so in those parts of the country where lands are dear 
and good markets are at hand. The soil should be 
mellowed, weathered, mixed, enriched by a free circu¬ 
lation of air, made fit for the roots of plants two or 
three times as deep as has been usual. It is true that 
the expense of plowing will he increased. But every 
other branch of the husbandry will he cheapened. 
Crops, on land thus cultivated, will require less seed 
and less manure; will he more easily kept clear of 
weeds; will grow more luxuriantly; he less liable to 
injury from sudden changes of temperature, and from 
protracted drouths or excessive rains. J. A. Nash. 
Flax Culture. 
Messrs. Editors —If the present duty on imported 
flax should escape reduction or abolition during the cur- 
ret session of Congress, there seems to ho a good pros¬ 
pect that the growth of flax may soon become a more 
common, as well as a more profitable employment. 
Linens and other fabrics from flax, are getting into 
a more general use ; and a market for flax is much more 
accessible than it was a few years ago. A company 
was some time ago organized at Fall River, Mass., for 
the purpose of spinning and weaving flax into the va¬ 
rious fabrics which are manufactured from it. “ The 
American Linen Manufacturing Company” has been in 
operation now about one year, and finds itself cramped 
in its operations for tho want of sufficient quantity of 
the raw material. To do something towards the supply¬ 
ing of this want a gentleman connected with the “Ameri¬ 
can Linen Manufacturing Company” at Fall River has 
made a journey through some of the western states, 
with a view of inducing farmers to engage more exten¬ 
sively in the growth of flax, inasmuch as this company 
will supply a larger market than has heretofore existed 
in the United States. In a letter addressed to Gover¬ 
nor Wright of Indiana, he says that the Am. Lin. Man. 
Co., expects to consume in the ensuing twelve months, 
over six hundred and fifty tons of flax fibre; and that 
when in full operation, it will consume annually over 
one thousand tons, or two millions of pounds. For want 
of a home supply the company has been obliged to im¬ 
port, during its first year, over one hundred tons, or two 
hundred thousand pounds, at an expense of over $30,000. 
It appears from the letter above referred to, that flax 
is cultivated to a considerable extent in Indiana and 
Ohio, hut principally for the sake of seed. The stalk 
and its fibre are generally wasted and thrown away. 
Now that a home market is provided, the fibre will be 
saved, making the crops of flax in these states much 
more profitable, and leading to a much more extensive 
cultivation of it. 
In regard to the profits of flax culture we glean the 
following cheifly from the letter of the agent of the Am. 
Lin. Man. Co., to which we have already referred. He 
states that if farmers would prepare their soil well, and 
would then sow two or two and a half bushels of seed, 
they would obtain twenty bushels of seed, and two to 
two and a half tons of flax straw to the acre. In Ohio 
and Indiana, for the want of proper preparation, an av¬ 
erage of only ten bushels per acre is obtained, and 
about a a ton or a little more of flax straw. This small 
yield is attributed to poor preparation of the soil, and 
to thin sowing. Every ton of straw, the agent says, 
yields three hundred pounds of flax fibre, so that those 
who were at due pains to raise the large crops above 
named would have, after rotting and scutching, about 
six hundred to six hundred and fifty pounds of market¬ 
able flax fibre. “ For this fibre,” says the agent in his 
letter to the governor of Indiana, “ we would gladly 
contract for two years to come, at the rate of 12 \ to 15 
cents a pound ($250 to $300 per ton,) according to 
quality. It cogts us this price, cash, to import it, and 
we should much prefer paying it to our own industry..” 
That these estimates, as to the yield of a flax crop, 
are not materially exaggerated, we infer from a com¬ 
munication from Mr. W. G. Edmundson, of Iowa, in the 
volume of the Cultivator for 1852. Mr. E. there states 
that he has grown flax quite extensively, finding little 
difficulty in growing it on a rich soil preceding wheat. 
He says that with proper cultivation there is no diffi¬ 
culty in raising from 15 to 20 bushels of seed, and from 
300 to 400 lbs. of good clean scutched flax to the acre 
The seed may generally be sold for $1, or $1,25, and 
at almost any distance from Fall River or other 
market, the fibre may he sold for at least 10 cents per 
lb. At these rates an acre will yield from $45 to $65 ; 
or, after making a large allowance for harvesting, rot¬ 
ting, scutching and cleaning, a clear profit of $30 to 
$50 per acre. This is fully better than raising w'heat 
even at the present high prices. 
As many will be induced by such considerations as 
the foregoing, to engage in raising crops of flax, you 
will oblige your readers, Messrs. Editors, by collecting 
and publishing all the reliable information you can pro¬ 
cure. Observer. 
