1851. 
THE CULTIVATOR 
199 
than it Would be if obtained from the soil only, cause a 
'more energetic absorption and assimilation of alkaline 
bases from the soil, hence a more rapid building up or 
growth of the plant? 
In “ Lectures on Agricultural Chemistry,” it is said 
Peschier has observed that gypsum laid on the leaves is 
gradually converted into carbonate of lime. If this in¬ 
variably happens, then the change is effected by one of 
the two causes mentioned; either the sulphuric acid 
unites with ammonia, or it is absorbed. If it does unite 
with ammonia, then what becomes of the sulphate of 
ammonia formed? Is it gradually dissolved by slight rains 
or heavy dews, and so washed off the leaves, or is it in 
this state absorbed by them? 
Experiments like these, I fear will be considered by 
many uncalled for and likely to he attended with too 
much expense. It is high time that a different mode of 
experimenting should be entered upon than has hitherto 
prevailed; it must he done, sooner or later, before any 
rapid or sure advance can he made in farming—and I 
cannot hut think that there is wealth and energy enough 
in this country to prosecute such experiments now. If 
$600 can be given by an individual to listen, for a brief 
hour in most delightful raptures, no doubt, to the warb¬ 
ling of the Sweedish Nightingale,” surely it would be 
no difficult matter for the farmers of a state to raise at 
least an equal sum, to conduct an inquiry which would 
tend to benefit them individually, add to the resources 
of the state, and, I may say, confer honor on the coun¬ 
try. It has been said of the distinguished Yon Thaer, 
a man who seems to have combined within himself a 
greater amount of practice with science than almost any 
other writer on agricultural matters, that ‘•' the first 
care of all societies formed for the improvement 
of Agriculture, should he to prepare the forms of experi¬ 
ment, and to distribute the execution of them among 
their members.” One state is distinguished for the 
growth of wheat, another for its dairy produce, another 
for raising cattle, and so on—let each State Agricultural 
Society consider what question it would be most for its 
interest to thoroughly investigate; then let the chemist, 
the vegetable physiologist, and the practical farmer, unite 
together in order to determine how the experiments 
should be conducted and what precautions must be ob¬ 
served in order to avoid the influence of disturbing 
causes, or of receiving evasive or erroneous answers to 
the questions it is desirable to solve. There is no nation 
on the face of the earth which should enter into such 
investigation with greater zeal than the United States. 
In Europe, and especially in Britain, great improvements ; 
have been made in agriculture of late years—and how 
have these improvements been effected? Chiefly by the 
skill and enterprise of the tenant farmer. On the 
strength of a lease, he has been ready to adopt sugges¬ 
tions, showing good ground for concluding that a profita¬ 
ble return would be obtained for money expended. He 
has laid out his capital freely, and although he may 
during the time of his occupation win back his capital 
with a liberal interest, yet many of the improvements 
he makes, are of a permanent character; consequently 
when his lease expires he has to pay a considerably high¬ 
er rent for improvements which he himself has effected, 
or give way to another who will. Now in the United 
States, where the majority of farmers are owners of the 
land they cultivate, the case is very different; they have 
the prospect of reaping the full benefit of any improve¬ 
ments they may make. John Townley. Port Hope, 
Columbia county, Wisconsin 
Improvement in the Manufacture of Flax. 
In a late number, we gave some remarks in regard 
to the discoveries of Claussen and others in the prepa¬ 
ration and manufacture of flax. There appears to he 
no doubt, from what we have subsequently learned in 
regard to the new process, that it is of considerable 
value, and that it is likely to be extensively adopted. 
At the meeting of the Council of the Royal Agricultural 
Society for Feb. 12th. last, M. Claussen laid before the 
Council specimens of flax prepared on his plan, accord- 
ing to the following list; 
1. Samples of flax in the straw, pulled and rippled. 
2. Sample of flax-straw, prepared according to the new 
process, adapted for linen manufactures. 
3. Sample of long fibre^scutched from part of No. 2. 
4. Samples of flax-fibre, adapted for spinning on cot¬ 
ton machinery. 
5. Sample of yarn, spun on cotton machinery, some 
from all the above flax-fibre, others mixed in various pro¬ 
portions with the American cotton; these mixtures being 
termed by the inventor flax-cotton. 
6. Samples of flax-fibre prepared for mixing with 
wool. 
7. Samples of yarn produced on ordinary woollen ma¬ 
chinery, composed of wool and flax in various propor¬ 
tions, termed by the inventor flax-wool. 
8. Samples of flannel woven from the above. 
9. Samples of fine cloth woven from yarn composed 
of flax and fine wool in various proportions. 
10. Flax-fibre prepared for mixing with silk, and dyed 
of various colors. 
11. Flax-fibre mixed with spun silk, and termed by the 
inventor flax-silk. 
12. A sample of yarn produced from the above. 
13. Samples of flax-cotton yarn dyed of various colors. 
14. Samples of cloth woven from flax-cotton yarn and 
wool, dyed. 
The following are the advantages detailed by the 
Chevalier Claussen and his friends, as possessed by the 
new process over the old methods: 
1. That by the Chevalier Claussen’s process the pre¬ 
paration of long fibre for scutching is effected in less than 
one day, and he always produces a fibre uniforn in 
strength and entirely free from color, much facilitating 
the after process of bleaching either in yarns or in cloth. 
2. That he can also bleach it in the straw at very little 
additional expense of time or money. 
3. That the former tedious and uncertain modes of 
steeping are superseded by one perfectly certain, with 
ordinary care. 
4. That in consequence of a more complete severance 
of the fibres from each other, and also from the bark 
and boon, the process of scutching is effected with half 
the labor usually employed. 
[These advantages referred to that portion of the in¬ 
vention that includes the preparation of flax for spinning 
upon the ordinary flax machinery, and suited to existing 
markets.] 
5. That by the new process, flax is rendered capable of 
being spun, either in whole or in part, on any existing 
spinning machinery. 
6. That the fibre, to be mixed with cotton, or spun 
alone on cotton machinery, is so completely assimilated 
in its character to that of cotton, that it is capable of 
receiving the same rich opaque color that characterises 
all dyed cotton; and, consequently, any cloth made from 
flax-cotton yarn can he readily printed, dyed, or bleach¬ 
ed by the ordinary cotton processes. 
