Rensselaer Union, Volume 7, Number 20, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 February 1875 — Flax Culture. [ARTICLE]

Flax Culture.

The growing interest in flax culture is one more indication that the farmers are waking up to the necessity for a diversity of crops. The days when the true farmer will raise only corn, wheat and oats are gone by, and all those who know their own best interests see that they must, not confine themselves to the production of only one or two crops. Flax supplies the place of another variety of paying crop, so that if one fails there will be something to fall back on. The culture of flax is as simple and easy as that of wheat, and is not as exhaustive to the land. In 1873 the United States paid to foreign countries $22,828,026 in gold for flax, raw and manufactured. There is no reason why we should pay this large amount for articles which can just as well be raised and manufactured at home. Our soil and climate are well adapted to the production of flax, and we might, with the same propriety, neglect the culture of corn or wheat, and depend on other nations for a supply of these articles. Flax is a very quick crop —the producer can receive his money within four months from the time of sowing the seed, and is one of the best crops to prepare the land for winter wheat. Following flax with corn is not generally recommended. The selection of soil for flax depends somewhat on the object in view to raising the crop. If seed alone is wanted the best yield can be obtained from dry, rolling, moderately rich land. If straw is wanted, choose moist, rich land, such as our creek and river bottoms. The land should be clean from weeds, and if some-cleaning crop, such as corn, turnips, or potatoes, was raised on the land the year previous so much the better. On dirty land the expense of raising and harvesting the crop will be more than doubled- The land should be plowed in the fall, and, if possible, again in the spring. The soil must be put in the finest possible condition and be made smooth and mellow before the flax is sown. The seed should be covered with a brush harrow or roller, as, if covered too deep, it will not come well. A heavyrain immediately after sowing will cover tne seed sufficiently, provided the soil be very fine and mellow. Great care should be taken to procure seed of good quality. It should be fully matured, (dump and glossy, and free from foul seeds. If fiber is desired, sow from two to two and a half bushels to an acre; if good seed is desired, from sixteen to twenty quarts will be sufficient. If sown too thick the heads will be smaller and not as well filled with seed., The seed should be sown as soou after the Ist of April as the ground is in proper condition. Flax should be cut as soon as the bolls begin to turn brown: as, if left standing too long, there wil be a great loss of seed in harvesting. It may be cut with almost any reaper, anti if raised principally for seed there is no necessity for biuding it, but it may be left in gavels until dry, when it is ready for threshing. It is better to thresh eqrly. For threshing some use a flail; others tramp out the seed with horses; while others use the common threshing machines, with some slight alterations. The average yield is from twelve to fifteen bushels per acre. Flax is often sown with barley. The barley should be sown first and harrowed in; afterward the fiax is sown and rolled or covered with a brush harrow. In this way a yield of from fifteen to twenty bushels of barley- and from ten to twelve of flax can be obtained; and by the use of proper screens tbe barley and flax can be readily separated. ' , At present prices flax straw is worth but little, excepting near a factory. Where there are inconveniences for the manufacture of flax the straw is worth from $4 to $6 per acre. Flax seed is now worth about $1.70 per bushel. The Culture of flax is rapidly increasing in the United States. In 1850 the value of linseed oil manufactured was $1,946,934, and in 1870 it had increased to $8,801,962. But the neglect of utilizing the stalks has been a great loss to the country. The establishment of manufactories for , using flax straw would add greatly to the wealth of the country, not only bymanufacturing the linen good# which we now import, but by giving to farmers an increased value for their flax crop. When the straw cannot be .sold the culture of flax is still ntoVe profitable that wheat culture, and it adds one more crop to the rotation which should be practiced on every weil-conductedf arm.— Rural World.