xt7xsj19m574 https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7xsj19m574/data/mets.xml Procter, John Robert, 1844-1903. 1880  books b96-13-34924429 English s.n., : [Frankfort, Ky. : Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. Flax. Hemp. Culture of flax and hemp  : part II of Report on the history, culture and manufacture of flax and hemp / by John R. Procter. text Culture of flax and hemp  : part II of Report on the history, culture and manufacture of flax and hemp / by John R. Procter. 1880 2002 true xt7xsj19m574 section xt7xsj19m574 










GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF KENTUCKY.
         N. S. SHALER, DIRECTOR.



CULTURE OF FLAX AND HEMP.


  PART 11 OF REPORT ON THE HISTORY, CULTURE AND
      MANUFACTURE OF FLAX AND HEMP.


         BY JOHN R. PROCTER.

 

































































HEMP BREAKING IN KENTUCKY.

 
















CONTENTS.



Arguments in favor of flax culture
Soil suitable for flax .... ...
The preparation of the ground . . .
Manures. .
Seed.
Sowing the seed .........
Weeding
Pulling. . . . . . . . . . . .   ,
Stacking.
Rippling.      . . . . .  .  .
Steeping or retting.
Schenk's process.
Watt's process.    ........
Buchanan's process.   .......
Pownell's process..........
Burton and Pye's process ......
Breaking.
Scutching .



.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  102
..... . . . . . . . . . . . .           111
.... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  113
.... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  114
.... . . . . . .   . . . . . . . . . . 116
...... . . . . . . . . . . .          ..... 118
....................  119
.. . . . . . . .              ....                  120
...... . . .                          ..... . . . . . . . . 121
    ...... ... .                         122
..... ..... ........ .......... .......... . . 124
...............   .129
........................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  136
...... . . . . . . . . . . .          ..... 140
..... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
...... . .... . . . . .    . . . . ..141
..1... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
.... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161



Hemp culture . .   . . . . . ............................... ........... . 161-170

 




PREFACE.



  As the representative of Kentucky at the International Exhi-
bition at Philadelphia in 1876, I made a study of such exhibits
as would, in my opinion, most advance the best interest of the
Commonwealth, by bringing to the notice of its citizens the re-
sults of the observations. Among other subjects, I gave atten-
tion to flax and hemp, with a view to the encouragement of the
culture and manufacture of those fibres in Kentucky, embodying
the results of my study in a report on the " History, Culture and
Manufacture of Flax and Hemp." The present high price of
those fibres, and the large prospective future demand, has elicited
much inquiry from the agriculturists throughout the State, and
has induced his Excellency, the Governor of Kentucky, to order
the publication of Part II, devoted to the culture of flax and
hemp, in advance of the publication of the entire work.
  Under the system of social economy existing before the appli-
cation of steam as a power, and the great improvements in ma-
chinery, the raw materials were manufactured by and among the
producers of the same. Thus Egynt was the great dAux-rproducing
and linen manufacturing country of ancient times; and Belgium,
Ireland and Russia of more moderit times. So ii Ameiima, prior
to 1850, the flax and hemp was manufactured among the people
who produced it. In 1850, out of a total c f - ,7Oi, 1 23 pounds of
flax grown in the United States, Kentucky -protlicec 2,100,106
pounds, all of which was manufactured at home; and so with
the large production of hemp, most of it being manufactured
within the State into cordage, bale rope and bagging. From
causes which are discussed at length in that portion of the re-
port devoted to the history of flax and hemp, the manufacturing
of those fibres went beyond the State, flax culture has been almost
abandoned, and the production of hemp greatly decreased. In-
dications of late years point unerringly to the fact that there
must come about a redistribution of manufacturing, and that
those localities producing the raw material and cheap food, other
things being equal, must do the manufacturing. Kentucky, by
its central position, cheap power available, and advantages of
climate and soil, is pre-etninently fitted for the manufacture of
flax and hemp, and desirable results may be expected from the
co-operation of the intelligent agriculturists of this State.
  FRANKEORT, February 25, 1880.

 


MANUFACTURE OF FLAX AND HEMP.



that an acre would yield two tons of straw, one fourth of
which would be fibre, he found the amount of inorganic mat-
ter abstracted from the soil by the fibre to be six pounds per
acre. According to the analyses of Sir Robert Kane, M. D.,
one hundred parts of the ashes of the entire flax-plant are
composed of-

Potash... ..1... .. . .. . . .8... .. .. .. . .   .
Soda..... .. ..                          .....     .. .. ..                       , 82
Lime. . .                                                  4..85
Magnesia.9............ .                                     38
Alumina and oxide of iron  ...................... .  7.32
Phosphoric acid ........... .... .... ........ . .  13.05
Sulphuricacid.... .. . .. .. .. .. .. . .. .. .. .. . ..   3.19
Chlorine.                                                  2.90
Silica... . .. .. . . ..  .. .. .. .. . .. .. .. .. . ..   25.71
Total......                        loo oo

  According to the analyses of Sprengel, the inorganic mat-
ter in flaxseed is 2.340 per cent., consisting, in the ioo parts,
of-

Potash... .. . .. .. .. .. .. . .. .. .. .. .. . .. .. . 1 7.59
Soda......................                                 6. 9z
Lime........................ .. . .                        8.46
Magnesia.................. . .                             14.83
Oxide of iron......... .... .. ...... ... ..... .             1.25
Phosphoric acid .- .............. - --  .. -.  . ...... .  36.42
Sulphuric acid.............. ...... .. . .. . .             2 47
Chlorine.7.... . .. . .. .. .. .. . .. . . .. .. . ..  7
Silica................. ..........                   .. .10 58
Total...... .............. . . . ..........              98.69

  Assuming the yield of an acre to be two tons of straw and
twenty bushels of seed, each bushel weighing fifty-six pounds,
the amount of inorganic matter abstracted from the soil will
be-

In the seed .26! lbo.
In the straw                   .                        6----lb__
Total. ...                                                 II.. -!



  According to Johnston, a crop of wheat. at the rate of
twenty-five bushels to the acre, will take from the land two
hundred and ten pounds per acre of inorganic matter, as
follows:
                                                            151



103

 



104      REPORT ON THE HISTORY, CULTURE, AND



Potash .
Soda.
Lime      .
Magnesia .
Oxide of iron. . .
Phosphoric acid. .
Sulphuric acid  . .
Chlorine.
Silica .



Total. .



  A crop of barley, of forty
the land-



                In the Grain. In the Straw.


                    715      22.44
                    .,,,,,,2.73  ; 0.29
                    o.85      i 2. 9
                    3.63      6.87
               I.0.20         2.35
                   15.02      5 54
                   007       10.49
-. .. . .. . ..    . . . i     1-97
. .. . .. . .. i   o035     '117.94
.. .. . .. . ..         30. Ilbs. X o. lb.



bushels to the acre, takes from



In the grain .............
In the straw .............
Total. .



............... . . .. .  53 lbs. per acre.
.. .. . .. . .. .. I I 1 3 b
.......... .. . .. .. ..213lbs.



  A crop of oats, of fifty bushels to the acre, takes from the
land, in the grain and straw, three hundred and twenty-six
pounds. A crop of turnips, of twenty tons, takes six hundred
and fifty pounds of mineral matter from each acre of land.
  Dr. Robert Peter, in an exhaustive chemical examination t
of the tobacco-plant, gave, as the result of the analyses of
thirty different specimens, the following essential mineral
ingredients removed from an acre, in one year, by a crop
of one thousand pounds of tobacco, and adding one third
more for the stalks:




Potash.. .. . .   . . .. . .. . .. .. . .. . ..              69. 73
Soda                                                          6.80
Lime                         .568.co
Magnesia..... ... . . . . 8.67
Phosphoric acid... .. . .       ..... ..                            8.13
Sulphuric acid.     . , .....                                     8.40
Chlorine                      .. I .c6
Silica.. . .. .. . .                                         5.86
Total... . .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .  176.65

  qFual to  .7 pold  ca,-boat of lime.
tSee pp. 84-'7 and 9., Vol. IV (1st Series). Kentucky Geological Survey of Ken-
tucky
152



.. .. . . .
.. . .. .. :   '
.. .: . ..    .
.. .. : '' '    '
.. .. . .. . .

 


MANUFACTURE OF FLAX AND HEMI'.



  It will thus be seen that chemical tests prove that flax takes
less of the mineral elements from the soil than either of the
above staple crops. Chemical investigations of the hemp-
plant, by Sir R. Kane and Dr. Robt. Peter, prove beyond
question, that whilst hemp extracts large quantities of organic
matter from the soil, yet the materials so extracted are not
found in the fibre, but in the stem, leaves, and the glutinous
matter taken from the hemp by the retting process, and that
whilst an average crop of hemp takes only an amount of
potash from an acre varying from less than one pound to less
than one third of a pound, the wheat crop takes nearly five
and a half pounds; the corn crop more than eight, in the
grain alone, and the tobacco crop nearly seventy pounds;
and while the hemp crop carries off onl) from        one and a
quarter to two pounds of phosphoric acid, the wheat will
take more   than nine; the corn more       than eleven, in   the
grain alone, and the tobacco more than eight pounds." Tile
truth of the above is made manifest by the experience of the
hemp-growers of Kentucky.           Hemp has been grown for a
number of years on the same ground, in Central Kentucky,
without a perceptible deterioration of the fertility of the soil.+
It is well known, that when Egypt was the great flax-growving
country of the wvorld, it was also the granary of the wvorld;
and Belgium, where the relative acreage of flax is greater
than in any other country, the fertility of the soil has been
constantly improving for centuries.       Thie reason of this, says
Robert Scott Burn, is, "that flax cultiz'ation involves good
husbandry," and    - flax cultivation and   bad  cultivation are
quite incompatible."
  Sir Robert Kane says+: "The agriculturist should steadily
bear in mind that the fibre, which he sells to the flax-spitnner,
 See Appeli x B).
tOne peculiar advantage attending the cultivation. of hemp and flax is, that a crop of
the former prepares the land for the latter, and therefore a crop of hemp is clear gain to
the farmer, That these plants impoverish the soil is a nece vulgar totion, devoid of all
truth. The best historical relations and the verbal accounts of honest, ingenious planters
concur in declaring it to be a vain prejudice. nstupported by alty authority; and that
these crops really meliorate and improve the soil. "-4 D-'rses.'ski, Gn//'nan. B,,,h
SociefY Pavers, 1781.
"1 It does not impoverish the land, but rather improves it."-.4 F/ar and Ikrnpn'reer
af "ManV Year:' Erperlince," Wirseck, Efng.
  tlndustrial Resources of Ireland.                           '53



105

 



Io6         REPORT ON THE HISTORY, CULTURE, AND

has taken nothing from the soil. All that the crop took out
of the soil he has still in the steep-water and in the chaff of
the scutched flax, and if, after suitable decomposition, these
be returned to the land, the fertility of the latter will be re-
stored; and thus materials at present utterly neglected, and
even a source of inconvenience, may be converted into valua-
ble manures." The experiments of Dr. Robert Peter prove
tlO   same as to hemp: - We notice also that the removal of
the hemp-herds (which are believed by some practical farmers
to bear a proportion in weight to the hemp fibre of three to
one) will take from the land greatly more of its essential in-
gredients than the hemp fibre itself; for, while the merchant-
able hemp holds less than a pound of potash, and two pounds
of phosphoric acid in its composition, the equivalent quantity
of hemp-herds holds more than four pounds of potash, and
nearly three pounds of phosphoric acid." Dr. Peter depre-
cates the universal practice of burning the hemp-herds, and
recommends composting them or spreading them over the
land to rot. (See Appendix, page B.) It would seem, from
the above, that the objections to flax, as an exhaustive crop,
are not well founded. Where grown exclusively for the
seed, and the seed and straw removed from the land, it must
be exhaustive; but it should be borne in mind that the oil-
caket made from the seed, after the extraction of the oil, fur-

   'The British farmer may study with advantage the peculiarities of that system which
makes the Flemish farmer look upon the flax crop as one of the most important, and
which. so far from robbing the land of its fertilizing properties, adds, on t he ,-ntra-y,
gret/y to tie  -An Agri-1'urat To-r ine    L-d-iun  , &c., Londn, 1862: A'oh't Scott Burn.
  t From a series of experiments which I [Boussingault] undertook. in concert with
Messrs. Dumas and Payne, it appear. that all of the articles acknosvledged to be most
p-werfl as fatteners, are those that contain the largest proportion of fatty principles.
The following substance, contain the numerical quantities of matter soluble in ether in
103 parts
Commonx maize      ..   .       8.8  Meadow hay.3 ..             . 8
Ric       ......                   M.    h 8 y.. ...............      .8
Coarsebean.4Cae                      . ...................       .. 7
Dry cloer. 4.- Oil-cake .....0 9  
Dry.lcee      ...... . ..... i
The following show the relative value of manures made from a ton (2,000 pounds) of
different foods, from careful experiments by Jo.hn B. Lawes: Cotton reed cake. 27.86;
rape cake, 21.01; linseed cake, 19.72; lentils, S.6.5 i; tares, 15.75; oats, 7.40;
wheat, 7.08; Indian corn, 6.65; clover hay, 9.64; meadow hay, 6.43; oat straw,
2.93.
154

 


MANUFACTURE OF FLAX AND HEMP.



nished one of the best manure-making foods to be had; so that
means are thus provided to keep up the fertility of the soil.
  Another objection to flax-culture is, " that it requires so
much farm   help."   This is true; but, as I have attempted
to show in the introduction to this report, is a strong argu-
ment in favor of it, provided it can be shown that the large
amount of labor required can be profitably and beneficially
employed.
  "1 It is especially desirable so to apply the prodtictive power
of the soil for the supply of articles as indispensable to the
support of millions of our people as corn itself; and an addi-
tional inducement to the growth of flax. beyond that offered
by other articles, may be found in the fact that, to bring it to
the same condition as that in which it is usually imported fromi
foreign countries, ca/Is for 1/Me empl/ovnzezt of a 1gnsiderab/t
amount of human la6or.
  It is evident to the careful observer. that unless there is
a change in our agricultural system, the time is not far dis-
tant when we will have exported the essential mineral ele-
ments of the soil.t \Whilst some other countries have steadily
increased the average yield of cereals per acre, in this country
there has been a steady decline.   Already, in some of the At-
lantic States, there are lands that wvill not pay for the cultiva-
tion.  The area of profitable wheat culture is steadily moving
wvestwvard.  The introduction of such industrial crops as flax
and hemp. and the sugar beet, Would do much to bring about
a needed reform.   The manufacturers, stimulated by such pro-
ductions, would tend to re-distribute population, and lessen
the exportation of grain ; and should we export the fibres, it
would not be so detrimental to the soil as the exportation of
grain and tobacco.
  But I wvill not rely on the above economic reasons for thie
cultivation of these fibres. but will attempt to demonstrate that
in these crops there is an immediate profit to the cultivator.
   Mr. R. G. Porter, Secretary Beilfast Board of Trade.
   t The total exports of wheat and dour withh, lifty years., previous to 560o, wa- ec aivalent
to 1,062,oo,o0o busheis of wheat. Of this aount, but 178,coo,oo- w"as exported 1)rior to
1850. In 1874, 91 ozo,ooo bushels were espo-ted.
                                                              '55



107

 



108      REPORT ON TIlE HISTORY, CULTURE, AND



  Jas. Ward, who was an authority in        Ireland on flax-culture,
said: -- Properly managed, there is perhaps no single crop that
affords so ample a remuneration to the grower, or requires,
looking to its results, a less amount of skill and attention; for,
if the land be kept clean and well manured, as it ought to be
for cereal crops of a healthy and vigorous growth, and if due
care be taken with respect to rotation, a breadth of flax would
yield to the cultivator a more profitable return than any grain
that is ordinarily grown     upon  the soil."     The above state-
ment of 'Mr. Ward has been verified by the experience of the
best flax-growers of Ireland, where flax has been long         known
as the "'rent-paying crop."
  Mr. William    Charley, a practical flax-grower in      Ireland of
large experience, gave his profits at 3 OS. 2d. per statute
acre in 1853, after deducting all expenses, including rent and
taxes. of 2 per acre.         Mr. Charley said, 4 that, with ordinary
care, a fair profit may always be expected, while occasionally a
larger sum may be realized than by any farmers' crop grown
in  Europe.
  T'he average profits in Ulster wvere estimated at from 4
to 5 per acre.        Thie   following were the profits per acre of
   Air. W-arl gives the follow1ing as a well-authenticated statement, to show not only
what profits may be d-civ-e from good culture, but the large amount of extra employ-
ment it necessarily calls into practice at remunerative prices. Of course, this w-as by the
old-fashioned hand processes, before the perfecting of machinery: 550 pounds of dressed
flax, spun into 30 hank. to the pound, or i6,5oo hanks, employed 158 females for twelve
months, spinning at the rate (f two hanks per week  The wages for spinning each hank
were is. 8d., or nearly 71. per day for each spinner. The yarn made 212 webs of cam-
,ric pocket-handkerchiefs, each web containing five dozen. To weave this quantity IS
weavers would be required, working tvelve months, allowing each man a month for a
web. The wages per web would amount to 2, or from 9,. 6fi. to os,. per man per week-
About forty females would be employed for twelve months upon the same material, in
needlework (hemstitch or veining), each female averaging one handkerchief per day, and
receiving 8s. per dozen or V, per lay for stages. When fnikhed, the goods would be
worth 2 10.,. per dozen.
  By putting the estimate into another form, a clearer idea may be had of the amount of
employment affrded by a comparatively small quantity of raw material, and the increased
value it received frritt the application of skilled labor. The 550 pounds of flax called
into active employment the following persons:
                                                                   J.d
8, Spinnr.s                   . .nse.th, 6   .. 4d. per week.6..... .               ... .   ..  6 8
iS Weavers.   mon, 6 f4 ..erannum.4 ...  
4o Nerdle-mersn,.imonthsat4s.perr wek.                                460............  4
..6 pe-sons enpl.yed.t.y.d............ ........           ..             1-95 6 8
  Am....it of wages............  . . . .........         .          75 5 o
  C.s. f flax........ ... ... .                                .ae 6 8
  V.IuIe Of .,.5. doz.e handkerchiefs, at i. per dozen . . . .625 o
     Profit..............                                      3..13 4
1 56

 




MANUFACrURE OF FLAX AND HEMP.



some of the leading flax-growers in that district for the years

named:



Mr. Charley.
   De . 7.. '...,
   Do.
Mr. W. Hunter.  ..
Mr. Coales ......
Mr. J. Hunter ....
Mr. Birney ......
Mr. Blakely .....



  The profits of
great as in Irelat
It must be remet
and that the pric



                                      YEAR)  .d


........ .. . . . .. ... ....1           iS.;   3  0  2
.. . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . ...     1855  14  13  0
... . . . . . . .. . . . .. . . . ..  1861 i86tlo13  0
........................ .. . . . ..   .S2.... .      . 5         6  7
....................... .. . . . .. . . . . .. . . . . 1850   3   1  8
.............. . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . . 1854, 10. lo  o  
.. . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . ...  852   9  10  0
........................ . . . . .. . . . . .. . . . .  830  1 5 10  0


flax-culture in this country ought to be as
id, on account of the cheapness of the land.
nbered that we import largely of foreign flax,
es of good flax range as high or higher here



than in Ireland.

  The average yield per acre in Ireland was, in 1875, 460t
pounds of fibre, and in 1876, 300 pounds. The Province of

Munster gives the largest average yield, being 521 pounds



I Flax growvn in 1855 on Mr. Charl-y' farm -la., or., 2p., statute measure-over all
-verage crisp:
                                 EXPENSES.



One plo-ghing, heavy furow .............
Seed,a 2! b.sbl.. ..................
Harrowing, picking off1toeen, soinig seed, and rolling.
Weeding.
Cuing rshes and naking ropesof same ........
Polling and binding....... .. .... 
Caring to yard and ri ling under cover ..........
Caning ton ater and ling in name . .......
Lifting ot ofater anddraingtogras.
Spreading on ga     ..         ... .
Lifting offgraos and s.oeki.g .
Caning to slack-yard, stacking, and thatching.
Loading and deaing to snlch mill.
Caaning fron mill and marketing expensee. .
Dyingifan-bolln at cors-mill.
Canage, &c., of boil.....
Rentandtaxes, la.xr., Ip . .. ....... . .
Scolching 53 stone l742 ThS) flax, at vs. ad. ....



                            . S.a'.


                            .6 3


      .... .. ...... .. ... .. 3  0

............................. .
....................  184
       ................... , .......o7 6
       ................o5 6
...........                  I  S
....... ......... .........t5l
       ................ (46  
       .........................,, 046 3
       ................  0  33
                           .. o 3  3



Total expenses .............  ..  ...................
                            RECEIPTS.



,; ,    ,



Forflaxf fibe, 4 stone, at lea. 3a'.       2                   1 a
For di-o,49d.,at   la          , .. ... ..o .
For Zctuching twI. ,......,                                      4 0o
For 6c bushels bolls for feeding .o............... . . . .
                                                                    aS5
    Profi t ., .    .  ... . ... .. ... ... ... ... .I.. ... ...  .   16
 Or e1 sa. oat per acre.
 tThis may be an under statement, as I have used the legal stone of 14 pounds. FIlax
 is sold in Ireland by a stone I illegally so called) of 16, pounds.  I thiuk, hosever, thaI
 'he legal stone is used in giving amount of yield.
                                                                       1 57



IO9

 


I10         REPORT ON    THE HISTORY, CULTURE, AND

per acre in 1875, and 498 pounds in 1876.        On one farm, near
Ballymena, the enormous yield        of 12Io pounds per acre was
reported, the money value of the crop amounting to 33 17s.
per acre. The grower of this crop attributed his success " to
careful tillage and skillful handling." In 1852 the average
yield  (from  official returns) in   all Ireland   was   580 pounds
per acre; in Belgium, the average yield for ten years was
528 kilogrammes per hectare, which is equal to 470.2 pounds
per acre. In France, in i874. 80,607 hectares yielded 44,414,-
457 kilos. of flax, being an average of 505 pounds per acre.
The average yield in 1872 and 1873 was greater. In Holland
the average yield was, in 1873, 496 pounds, and in 1875, 47I
pounds per acre.
   In Friesland it is stated that, in good seasons, the yield of
flax reaches from 650 to s,Ioo kilos. per hectaret Here we
have reliable data upon which to base calculations of yield on.
the fertile lands of Kentucky, bearing in mind that, in all of
the above countries, great care is taken with this crop.
   In Russia, where less care is taken with the crop, the aver-
age yield for 1877 was 280 pounds per acre.
  I have collected a mass of evidence proving the profitable-
ness of flax culture in this country; but such evidence is delu-
sive, owing to the fact that the profits depend on the care
bestowed upon the crop. I am certain that no crop will give
a better return for careful treatment, and that in Kentucky
flax can be made a profitable crop.           With careful culture, the

   " The soil there (in the outlying counties of the Provinces of Munster and Connaught)
might be called virginal, and he thought it might be expected to produce something like
the large yields, which were referred to in the report, of 5o to 70 per acre in one
vear.         "It might be said that if they put in flax they displaced other pro-
duce, ut/here waa. no /her crop that brought or aut-A money as flax. It would be a national
advantage to have more tillage in Ireland, which had been too much of a grazing coun-
try. Grazing countries sustained very small populations.'- seeh  f John MuAlhtI/and,
,q., 1l. P., Chairma. of the Belfast Flax Siepp/y Associatio, bfuoe the Inst Annual Meeting.
tThe following samples from Netherlands. now in the Geological Cabinet, will give
an idea of the yield of flax, under good culture, in that country: 1. Crop of 1875 grown
in the Province of Groningen; yield of fibr 760 kilos. per hectare hand-scutched. 2.
Province of Friesland; yield 784 kilos. per hectare; hand-scutched. 3 Province of Gron-
ingen; kin of Riga seed, 6oo kilos. per hectare mill-scutched. 4. Province of Friesland;
yield 570 kilos. per hectare. 5. Province of Zcaland; hlue-blossom Dutch seed. yield 980
kilos. per hectare; hand-scutched. 6. North Holland, blue Dutch seed; yield 630 kilos.
per hectare; mill-scutched. 7. Zealand, blue-blossom Dutch seed; yield 980 kilos. per
hectare; hand-scutched. 8. White ZealanI flax, reclaimed land; yield 560 kilos. per
hectare. A hectare=2.4 acre; a kilogramme = 2 2 pound.
158

 




MANUFACTURE OF FLAX AND HEMP.



Kentucky farmer can rely on obtaining from six to twelve
bushels of seed, and from three hundred to four hundred
pounds of fibre per acre. On page ioi the price of flax
in New York City is given. Of course, the price will be
regulated by the quality of the flax. The slovenly cultiva-
tor will get the     minimum, and      the painstaking     cultivator the
maximum prices.
   SOIL.-The first thing to be considered in flax-culture. is the
selection   of soil.   Flax grows on all kinds of soils and in all
climates.t Fine flax is grown in Egypt, India, and Algeria,

   The following prices of flax from Belgium (samples of all in the Geological Cabinet,
Frankfort) show how variable are the prices of flax grown in the same neighborhood.
These are mostly from the crop of 1875. No. 12 is the finest sample of flax I car find
any mention of. These prices are all "1 free on board ": (I.) Ghent warps, 98 35. od.
(2.) Turnes flax, o900w. oW. (3.) Walloon flax. 672 0s. ad. (4.) Turnes flax, "for me-
dium ways," 84 Os. od. (5.) Ghent flax, for medium warps, 93 is. 8d. (6.) Ghent
flax, superior warps, io6 los. 2d. (7.) St. Nicholas flax, for warps, 1 15 19s. od. (8.)
Malinese flax, for warps, 1od 14s. id. (9.) St. Nicholas flax, superior warps, 128 13s.
2d. (lo.) Courtrai flax, for thread, medium length. 119 2S. let. (it.) Courtrai flax,
strong weft, long line, 215 2.. Id. (12.) No. I superior Courtrai flax. f246 19,. 84/.
The tow ranged from 32 2s. for scutched tow to 64 3s. id. for hackled tow from
Courtrai flax. The following prices of flax, in the straws, deserve studv, shosving the .alue
of the seed in Belgium, and at the same time what labor will add to the value qj the- raw
fibre in the hands of the agriculturist: (i.) Belgium flax, in the strasv, with seed on,
crop of 1876, 18 Os. 2d. (2.) Belgium flax, in straw, without the seed, crop of 1876,
615 6s. 7d. (3.) Courtrai flax, in the straw, twice pounded in the riser 1,ys. 5o 2,. 64.
tThat the reader may have an opportunity of comparing the analyses of some of the
best flax soils in Ireland with the various soils of Kentucky, as analyzed by the Chbmist
of the Geological Survey, I give the following analyses, by Sir R. Kane, of three excel-
lent flax soils, No. 3 being probably the best, and one (No. 4) from Duffel, in Belgium.
                                        _
                                                        !No.x. IfN-,2  N-- 3  No. 4.

Silica, &c... ..........                                  73.a 769.41 64 9394.74
Oxide ofiirn...                              ......... . 15 5-  5   . 95.64 .66
Alumina                    .                            6 65 '5 7 8.97
Ph-sphate-f i     on.      ..            .        ..        .    6    5   .31 .21
Carbonateli-.      ......   ..  ... . .                  '.s9 1 3  ,.67    35
Magnesia and alkalies....... ...a.. ... .. ...                   3  
O         .ganic.att. ..4 486                                 6 67 9.4,  5.74
water... ... ..                                        i.  7  17_148  8.73   -.'3
Toa.l 99 78  98 99'.158

The organic matter in these soils was rich in nitrogen.
  Analyses of celebrated flax soils from Russia, Belgium, Holland, and Ireland:

                   RUSSIa.  BELItous. HOLLANI,.     I RKLAND.     IRELAN5D.

                   Asenageof a Average  onf    , i  Ae..age. tw,  sanptes, Slotsland of
                   two samples. - w,, samples ;nsampe  D-ry and Armagh.  Ligh Fvyle.

Silica..........        Sa.-,     83.93     60.9,             4   i      79.36
Lime.. ...  . ..    .    - 45 i     35        .Yc               36i       1.19
Alumina.                 6.93 1    1.-9      5.66             7 8I        3 31
ron....         .     Trace 6    Trac. T    6.-4 997 49

                                                                          159.



II I

 


I12       REPORT ON THE HISTORY, CULTURE, AND

and in Northern Russia, Norway, and Sweden; and whilst
some countries reasonably claim a peculiar adaptability for
growing superior flax, on account of climate and other favor-
able conditions, I am of the opinion that the finest fibre is
usually produced by the people who bestow the most intelli-
gent care in the cultivation of the plant and after-treatment
of the fibre. Sandy loams and well-drained alluvial soils
seem to be better for the production of the finest crops.
  The finest flax is grown in Belgium. Of the soil, the " Eng-
lish Agricultural Gazette " says: " It is not to the fertility of
the soil that the fine crops of flax in Flanders are to be attrib-
uted, as a very brief inspection of it will suffice to show. We
have before us a sample of soil taken from a celebrated dis-
trict, at which we do not hesitate to say many an English
farmer would turn up his nose as beneath his notice and un-
worthy of his cultural cares. It is to the careful working of
the soil, the unstinted supply of manure, of which the quality
and mode of action on the soil and plants is a matter of careful
and anxious study; to an equally careful attention to the qual-
ity of the seed and the properties of the plant; and last, but
not least, by carrying out a well-considered system of rota-
tion, that the Flemish farmer owes his success in flax-cultture."
  In Courtrai the soil is a clayey sand or loam. This soil was
originally quite poor and unproductive, buit has been made
fertile by years of painstaking tillage. (See page 9, Intro-
duction.)  Northern and Eastern exposures are preferred.
Warm, shad)y places are thought to produce long fibres, but
weak. The following from a practical flax-grower of Auburn,
New York, gives the character of soil preferred in that State:
- Flax will fl