266 ON THE CULTURE AND MANAGEMENT OF FLAX CROPS. 
On the Culture and Management of Flax Crops. —(Al¬ 
though this is a subject of no importance to the great majority of 
gardeners, yet as it falls under the head of rural economy, which our 
plan of the Register embraces, we hesitate not to give an extract from 
an excellent article on flax culture, which appears in the last number of 
“ The Irish Farmer’s and Gardener’s Magazine,” just received.— Ed.) 
The ground should be so prepared during the autumn and winter, 
that it may in the spring be in the best state, and as fine as possible, 
in order that the seed may be evenly sown. The land should be 
ploughed as early as convenient in the winter; and if a wet soil, the 
furrows should be shovelled in the same manner as after wheat is sown ; 
an eighteen-inch ridge is best in such soil. The ground should not be 
ploughed again in spring, but should be harrowed as if for clover-seed, 
and sown in the same manner. It should then be rolled immediately, 
if not very wet, but otherwise as soon as it is in a fit state. If the 
ground be not wet or subject to flood, it may be sown flat, and this 
mode answers best for dry or poor soils. An idea has prevailed that 
flax could only be cultivated with success after potatoes, but experience 
has proved that excellent crops may, with proper management, be like¬ 
wise produced after 'wheat and oats, and may generally be expected 
where the ground is good and fresh. 
“ The seed should be sown as early as it can safely be done. The 
Dutch commence sowing in February, if circumstances permit. In 
Ireland, if the ground be in proper order, and the season favourable, 
not a moment after the first of April should be lost in getting the seed 
into the ground. Great ignorance and prejudice have prevailed as to 
the best kinds of seed. Riga, Dutch, American, and English, all 
answer well, when they have been properly saved [and not too much 
kiln-dried]. But the Irish cultivator of flax may always have at hand 
seed equally good, if not superior to any of these, if he will take the 
trouble of saving the seed. Seed is saved in the Netherlands as a 
matter of course, and even from the finest flax that is imported into 
these countries, worth one hundred and fifty pounds sterling per ton. 
The best seed is reserved for sowing, and the secondary descriptions 
for crushing, &c. The flax which obtained the premium from the 
Royal Dublin Society this year, was the produce of Irish flax-seed, 
without a change of seed for several years. It is advisable, however, 
to imitate the Dutch in this respect, and to change the seed every 
third year. They import Riga for that purpose. The precise quantity 
of seed should depend on the quality of the soil. Four bushels per 
Irish acre may be considered as an average quantity. If the ground 
be very rich and strong, four and a half bushels may with advantage 
