The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1870-12-13 00:00:00

GRICULTURAL GAZETTE, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 13, 1870,

acre, men drawing it and carting it away. As to the I
profit of flax cultivation, it wu a well-known fact that
in 'rebind and Keimum men had risen from • state of
indigence to affittence by its growth even in a small
way ; and he (Mr. 'Damen) had known men in the
western part of Dorset who had gained wealth in the
same manner. He would not bolieve that the bugbear
trouble had restricted its growth here, for in Dorset we
bad men as intelligent as any in the country, and who
were ever ready to take adventqjo of all improvements
as they became available, and nothing could be done
well without trouble. He thought perhaps flax culti-
vation hint bOO neglected for want of their having their
attention drawn ti it. value. For. long time its growth
was prohibited in leases, but the time bad now passed
when any intelligent landowner would object to his
tenants growing fl ix, for he was quite sure it was by no
mean, a crop that deteriorated the land. Its had had
some experienoe in growing flax, and he must say it
was the most profitable part of farming he ever prase
tised, although he did it in the rudest possible way.
For preparing it, he had to hire men tram the west—
now it wassail the wise men did not come from the
west, and his experience of those men led him to believe
that the wet oucs came from that direction, for he
never knew men who drank more beer and wanted
more than they did. Nevertheless, he was quits sure
it was a profitable crop to him. lie grew good flax and
good wheat in the same year. The old way of switch
-
Mg WY expensive, bat much improvement had been
made of late. He was not ours that under the new
system the quality was any better, but it was more
regular. Mr. 8.. Smith, of Stafford, bad a scotching
machine which was simplicity itself. It consisted of •
cylinder around which was fixed wooden swords, which
when in motion knocked the woody sore out of the flax.
Last week be saw • machine at Seavingtoo driven by
steam, and six men men and two boys were employed
with it. There was none of the drying system by fire,
but the sheaves were passed through rollers by a boy
who stood at one end, and as they emerged
at the other end, the second boy handed them to the
men. He asked the men how much they earned per
day, and they said 7d. per dozen, i.e., 12 lba, and they
said that under the old system doing the memo quantity
was worth lid. Each hien could do about seven dozen
per day, and after they bad paid the two boys, they
would have about 3s. 61. each. A little humble
engine drove the machine. Oa his asking how much
coal it consumed, he was told none at all, for the
" skimp "—the woody fibre from the flex—was more
than sufficient to keep it going. So the machine was
driven without any outlay for fuel—a great considers.
tion. The work done appeared to him to be perfect.
The waste etenun was directed into troughs of roots,
chaff, Ice., for stock. Climate was an important matter
In the cultivation of flux, and he felt sure that theirs
Wad as well suited for it as in any part of the country,
being generally speaking moist acid not so much subject
to drought as eastward. Mere it was certainly better
than in Ireland, for in the sister isle they could not
save the seed, and nearly the whole they used was
impirted from Riga and Belgium; but in England both
flax and seed might be saved. It would boa good thing
it the flax required at Bridport could be grown here,
so that the money paid for it MIS kept in the country
—it would be • national benefit, And what, if war
should come? for they depended greatly on liusida for
flax, as they did on America for cotton, and when
that supply was stopped bad to scud thousands
of pounds to the operatives in the north of England to
keep them from starving. We could not grow cotton
here, but we could flax; and, if we had war with
Russia, what • good thing it would be to be as indepen-
dent of that country as possible, and to keep our
money at home. Of the 80,000 or £lOO,OOO spent on
Imported flax, he reckoned about one-third would go
for labour, and, considering our increasing population,
that was not • fact to be lightly passed over. All of
them had surplus laboarers in the winter which they
kept to have them in the summer, but with • flax crop
they could be employed profitably to the farmer and
earning good wages themselves. Still, be would not
recommend the growth of flax extensively, especially
where they had few cottages and a short staff of
labourers, as they might have trouble In getting men
to attend to it just before corn harvest, when it had
to be gathered. It was said, and he believed with
truth, that flax should not be growa upon the same
land more than ones in eight or ten years—not that it
deteriorated the land for other crops, but that it took
something which rendered the plot where it had been
grown unadapted for the mime crop for several
years. He suggested that one-tenth of a farm
might be put to flax„ so that with 200 acres
20 would be sown. He believed Mr. Smith, of
Stafford, had 20 acres. He did not recommend
the growth of flax as • substitute for corn—that
would be a great mistake, for they, wanted their
corn end roots as now; but he redemmonded flax as •
cietchorop. in growing flax they should not sow it
after turnips—he behoved that wa, an admitted
principle in all oonntries ; or upon foal land; or upon
exhanated lead: flax required well-prepared told, and
it might be grown with great advantage. Let the
load bepicitighed in the autumn, and stay till thee pring,
when it might be ploughed again, or, if in good ion.
talon, would be better Without: sow the seed at the
beginning of Raroh, so as to get off the crops as much
before corn harvest as possible. He was quite sure that
as • rule they would get a crop worth £lO or 1:12 per
acre, and, as an intervening crop, it was certainly worth
having. They :night grow good turnips after it, though
he did not say they would get the same quantity. Tee
quantity of seed was from two to 2j bushels per acre—
about nine pecks would be about right. If this be
done, and the plants weeded properly, and rolled close,
on the average useful land in this neighbourhood they
might expect an average growth of 2i packs to the
sere, or 50 dozen, and 12 bushels of seed. As to the
after management, they should not go far from the
prneiple of dew.ripening—placing the produce in a
moist place for • few days so that they might separate
the woody core from the fibre. For many years the
system adapted was what was called pit-ripening—
which he believed was the Belgian plan—putiing the
produces in pits of water for four or five days, and then
spreading it out to dry. Bat with pit-ripening the mid
was not saved: by dew-ripening, however, it we, Trite
possible to do it. He had been told that evening tuere
was now machinery adapted to do this quickly, the pro-
duce beige placed in a tank of water whiob was kept
at a eerWn temperature by blowing the waste steam
into it. In conclusion he expressed a hope that if any
of them was induced to cultivate flax they would have
good crops.
The PRESIDENT inquired whether corn or turnip,
could be grown after flax the same year ; the difference
in the amount of labour attaching to a corn soda flax
orop; and the relative pries, of English and foreign flax
and seed. _

about Itesas end Bishop'e Canninga where they had
chalk. and there be hal seen flax higher
than iv the Eridport district, lie thought the subjeet
reqaired a gr at deal of "scotching," and suggested
they should give it briber oonsi :oration But from
the fact that the Mr. Smiths carried on As cultivation
he concluded it paid.
The PIitSIDEBIT said that if he were • younger man
he should certainly try flax growning. lie had • farm
jat Upway for 28 years, and be was told that when
certain land there was broken up flax was grown on it
for two succeeding year*, and paid exceedingly well.
If he were to attempt it on the higher part of his pre-
sent farm he was convinood it would fol. But where
it could be done profitably. giving as it would more em-
ployment to labourers, lie thought it • very useful
crop.
Mr. DAIILY, replying, said be felt sure that 99 out I
of 100 who had grown flag for years would say that to
call it an exhausting crop was mare prejudice. He did
not recommend it as • crop to be substituted for corn,
but as an intervening crop: as Mr. Gauge said, he was
sure &chance £lOO would be useful to corn merchant',
if not to farmers. Ha did not think Mr. G. Homer did
flea the justice it would do him if he continued its
cultivation. He (Mr. Damen) calculated 2j packs, and
Mr. Homer grew 31. As to the value of the peed he
had had a good deal of experience, and the Engliah was
infinitely better than the foreign for feeding. He did
not say it contained so much oil—it might not—he
believed English would give 1011 n. to 121 be. per bushel,
and foreign 14th.. or 151bs. For two years he fatted
500 sheep with flax seed boiled, and mixed with straw
chaff, and he had never tried anything that answered
so well, while the manure was remarkably good. And
the seed was relatively leu value then than it la now.
He gave each animal lib. of seed per day, with roots,
and chaff. One or two of the greedy ones at first
scoured for a day or two, but they soon got over it. Mr.
Homer paid very dearly for his labour, bet be could
not help thinking that if flax was generally cultivated,
ocutchibg mills would be established in the neighbour.
hood. In conclusion he referred to the feat that all our
traffic on the seas, and all the discoveries of other lands
had been effected through the agency of flax, manatee-
turod into sailcloth. . .

On the motion of the President, seconded by Mr. T.
0. Saunders, the lecturer was cordially thanked ; and,
In acknowledging the compliment, AD. Damon said that
his services were always at the oommand of the dub.

PORTL&ND,

Trig Minotaur, 26, ironclad, Captain G. G. Goode-
nough, bearing the flag of Viee-Admiral G. G.
Wellesley, C. 8., as Commander-in-Chief of the Channel
squadron; the Agincourt ironclad, with the flag of
Hear-Admiral Wilmot. The Monarch, armour-plated
turret ship. Capt. Araby ; the Achilles, screw
stesmer, Captain V. H. Hamilton; the Inoonstant, 16,
Iron screw frigate, cased with wood; the Northumber•
land, armour-clad, Capt. C. May; and the Warrior,
screw steamship, comprising the fleet, remain
anchored at Portland, but are expected to leave
England before Christmas, and to be absent during that
season.

Mr. G. W. 110111111 said he had grown flax three years
—in two of them he had remunerative crops, he
thought above 3 packs per acre, but this year it was
a total failure, and he did not think he had g pack to
the sere. He thought flex required land of rather '
deeper staple than most of that about hero. A ley well
menaced in the fell of the year he thought the best
preparation for flax, and it should be suocceded by
turnips, and then instead of wheat'by barley. The
taruips he grew after Ma were the best he ever had.
He did not think the lebour question serious, because
much of It was done in the winter, when there was no
difficulty in getting men from the westwerd. In the
summer Herat 10a, or lls, so acre to draw—the Mune
as wheat under the old system. But instead of giving
7d, per dozen as Mr. Damen spoke of, he paid is. 91,
and sold for Is. The first year his crop produced £l9,
and cost ra ; the second year it was better, and the
third was a total failure. As to the seed he thought
that should be consumed an the land, for it WA very
healthy feed. He had about 20 sacks of old seed when
the season begun; it waa soaked in water and mixed
with chaff, and he found it extremely useful for stook
of all kinds. To grow flax too roach guano could not
: he used, and he believed it would „say well. He found
no difficulty in getting men to work the crop, and the
' people he had previously had from the west were very
sorry he could not employ them this year.
Mr. Dann thought they well might be, seeing how
liberally he had paid them.
Mr. FOOlis said that when • boy he lived in a flax- I
growing country, and his father grew it to advantage, '
for he used to make Ell" an acre. But that was in the
nlighbourhood of Brldport. On the thin lands of this
neighbourhood he did not think flax could be grown,but
that it would pay them better to manure well, and
, grow a good crop of turnips. Regarded as alfordinr;
I employment for surplus labour in the winter it wax
I useful, but farmers had now so mach to attend to th“t
I he thought probably the special care • flax crop need. ,c 1
I would cause them to neglect other parts of their fern.
lug, and so they would not be advantaged.
The VICX-PiIiSIDIST thought they were Much in-
debted to Mx. Damen for so ably introducing the subject;
Gni he thought if by screwing a crop into an odd corn, t
they czald realise kit:Slit would be useful to moat at
them. He could not think flax which was only in the
land from March to July, could be very exhaustive, for
no doubt it derived a groat deal of nourishment from
the atmosphere. He had walked through turnips as
high as the table before them grown after flax, But
Mr. Damen said flux required a moist climate, where-
as ours is dry; he also understood it should be grown
to perfection without a cheek, but in this district
they experieneed great changes. But, from
what Mr. Homer had hien candid enough to tell them,
it was evident that in some seaman/ they might grow it
to advantage. He thought aomo difficulty might ho ex-
perienced in harvesting it just when ttoy were busy
with turniphoeing ; and he regretted the absentia of
the two Mr. Smiths, who amid have given them their
experience on the point. If, however, it was no more
trouble than harvesting an extra ten sores of wheat,
he did not think they would be afraid of it, and as it
would give employment to surplus labour, it would
prove beneficial. As to the seed, he did not think.
Eagliab would produce so moots oil as the foreign, and
that Yr. &mit would tell them be preferred Etat
Indian or Black Sea for crushing,
Mr. T. C, Savanna felt that they were mach obligati
to Mr. Damen for bringing this subject forward, an, I
remarked that with the constantly increasing impanels
of farms, flax cultivation as a catch crop amazed, well
worthy of rioasideration. He should like, hewerer,
be gadded as to whether or not it was an exhaustive
swop, and as to the extra labour it involved; and be
thought the suggestion of Mr. rooks that by fie 1-
growing they might neglect something use, was. wortliy
of being borne in mind.
Mr. SCOTT said he understool English seed did nit
yield so much oil as foreign, and he preferred En it
Indian or Black 8414, which woo worth Mis. to Ws. •
ton.

AuDittwu asked if any more infatuation eon Id
be given se to the exhaustion of the land by Au. if.
thought is: very exhausting, for they had °abeam' ed
the very excellent yarn Mr. Damon had spun from ti.
ALL whisk vu his !subject that evening—(laughter).
Mr. Four said some years ago he grew • small pato 3h
of flax, had • very good mop, and he also got an exas
lentgrewth of barley. That made 40i. • quarter, at id
the au he belerred produced £7 an sore more than t be
barley. It was sown on 21st April and harvested in
the middle of Jar. He did not think it an extuasti rig
erl. T. C. EkeuirDese wanted to know why as it pro .eil
so prodiebie be did not 'matinee its cultivation.
Mr. FOOT said he was • very mull urn termer,
by growing flax lost the straw.
Yr. COSIIINGTON said flu mdtivation brimmed to be
• mysterious subjeoL Some said it wee a very bed 51• op I
to grow, and others that it was very good. A fan am
he knew at Graltaa, in Wilts, (grew some, it was a ut,
and 'entailed, and he (Kr. Oennington) bought &be
ilex and re-sold it at • mull prat, and the fanner 4Ad
him that wee otte of the hest crops to pay him. TI
wu oa • goody soil. Then wee a good deal gre

fliarkets.

Doactirars& 10th.—Tbe first of Me
was In: id to-day, When there
---ww---- prime Ismaili'''. but dbesp Irclo warm. i'mA„‘"„l" hse47.,
REVIEW OF THE CORN TRADE. froth 416 to £l6 cool), and sold readily.
o ail each. Wither sheep maintained lu ,
At Iferk•Lane buyers have been more numerous than t bei.,,,wpaud a iit (re. 5. —„,,ab
usual, and a fair business has been done in wheat at !,11*."" sal; toga. ""' .s. Pif heat ttirki
a very firm prime. Barley a little cheaper, but oats
leave 'fain wade more money. Bean., peas, and floor ?FADING STUFF&
have not varied. Linewod oake in moderate demand. at Kerb
The markets on the continent are reported without cdValltdi Lia..."Bdbo4 silo at " first Pnew, Lumid44 n""co. pita,
any new feature. Advice. received from America ............ c0w.....1 is very WO". 4 Noidni 4n4et
state that flour was steady in value, but that corn was , ~:,5 5. per ton. scam, wi . ...I. at

At all the country markets buyers have very paior.
ally evinced more desire to make larger parolumee, and
In several oases they have had to pay an advanse of is
to is per qr. for all approved samples. Barley, on the
sontrary, has experienced • heavy sale in alincet ever,
market, and has muscled tally la per qr. O&M have
been very fairly represented. and they save oesasion•
ally made • little more matey. Other articles of the
Wide have remained much in the same position es We
advised in our last report.
FLOATING OARGONS.-OFr 00ABF. cr,: a I.
Wassr. lbs. 0. 0. a. d.
Bhutan°, a Nadi .. 492-40 60
Wan and tin Oirka. 4412-14 60
Taganrog
—46 t
New Coast :•. ••••• 499-44147 e;
Spring American 480-47 49
Winter American .. 4eo-- 0 0

[Upsilon. Gummi, per qr.
Foroaspore
11,11,1111mA Sea
German .
EA/11 CAIIIIO, English, par ton
Foreign dont (c. I. and I.)
Lugano, llontba,y, per qr.
Cid c u Lla
Black &nand Azov
. .

Yang
Galata and Odom
Danube
..
Taganrog
Danube ..
Wanks ..
Airman

492--4 I 0 81 6
460499:9: 06 901 09

.an

... •• •• .. .. 400-16 027 0

L
tO 73
• • Cl "6 •
•• 4
••
• • 71
• • 11.5 ••
• • 110 "
••

&I&
Mixed ..
Rya.
Dunube
Smyrna Desia . 400— 0 0 0 0
Danube and fialoalceillietsoed 400— 0 0 0 0
Miu.iiulo. • 480-0 0 0 0
Wbeat.—Tbo want of choice In cargoes off coast restrict
businea Melee very strong. Its 4900) paid fora cargo of
Wellachian arrlvod. Barley value to sell about 26. 64 4Oulb.

.. 480--37 0 38 0

• • t.
• • 0 •• 0 4
• • 59 °
• •
• • C 4 •••
• • 14 • • (.1 •
• • L. •0 •
••
••• 61 (.2
oi
190 4
..va •
ii A. I.
.•
•• .
. ** 4
•. 1 .
0 /r 0
..
0 0 10
T 0 04

St. Patorsburg, Ono..
do inferior ..

Rigs end Memel
Come Banu, Egyptiee. per t0a,...
Lumen Cies, per ton—
Lonnon wade
No York, oblong, In brit.
baton, in bee
Western. In begs .„
Marseilles, square
Cotton Cake.

CURRENT PRICER OF ORALNI.—Dorr Famt.
MOUT, &sex and Kant white _ .. .. Osw 6111057 s
red • 41410 64
Norfolk and Suffolk white .. .. .. ~ 63 lo 56
rod • 50 to 63
Lincoln and Cambridgoshire .. .. „52t0 63
Nurseries ... .. .. .. new 63 0 to 14 0
Talavera 66 to 58
57 to SQ
Danlaio and Konigsberg ... ... .. 57 to OS
Rostock, Wiamar and Stralsund ... .. 67 10 00
Marianopull and ilordianskl .. .• .. 46 to 45
Petersburg and Sazunka .. !• • • 45 to 47
United States and Oinadian.. Winter .. 52 to 54
do. do. .. ... Spring _ 40 to b 2
Australian .. .. .. 54 057
FrOCa, per sack of 280 lbs.. ..
Country . 34 to 36 Town-bade.. 40 to 47
Amorlcae, clira-litate, per barrel of 19tilbe % 0 tu 27 0
do. Sour .. .. .. 25 0t026 0
Canadian .. .. .. .. .. 25 6toIT 0
Vienna,Humorian, Ise., scarce, per rack a
40 tO 58
Australian
.
Californian .... .... .... ...if here
.. 4007
to 314
=
Burn, Euglish, fine malting .. • . .. 30 to 43
secolulisrY do. •!! • • ' • 35 1° 35
Grinding and Distilling . .. 30 to =
Foreign, Smile .. .. .. per 4321 W.. 40 to 42
• Danish and Swedish .. .. 32 to 34
•
' Banat and Stettin . .. 30 to 32
IGrinding ... .. per .4001b5.. TO to 29
, MALT, Fins Pale .. .. .. .. .. 00 to 04
Secondary ditto
Drown .. .. • • .. 40 to 50
OATS, English, feed ..weight per boil. 38 40 Ihe 22 to 25
• potatoo and Poland ..40 43 lbs 25 tc 18
• Scotch feed .. .. .. —4O 42 Ile 24 to 44
• potato° .. .. —42 41 lin 27 to 30
Irish, potato° .. .. ..42 43 Re 27 to •M
food .. .. —36 40 lbs 441.021
Black .. .. —3O 38 Ills 20 to 22
Foreign, Dutch Poland' ... ..30 42 lb. 23 tu VS
brew _ ..40 42 We Td to 2.:
food _ ..34 38 lbs 10 to 23
Swedish .. .. .. Stt 42 16i 21 WOO
Danish ... .. —33 40 lbs 11 to 24
Russian .. .. ..38 40 lbs 80 to 23
Rra—English old 32-33 new 32.33—F0re4;1n .• 32 to 33
OAIIISAI.,—Scotch, per tun CI £l5 0 Irish £l3 to £l4 0
DlASti—English Pigoon old 5746 new .. .. 465t0481
Tick and Ramon new .. .. 36 to 42
seEV Ps—Enish, white 43.. 464 —Pearls ... —to
Foreign, Pruniin, boilers .. ... .. 41 to 43
feed .. • . .. 40 to 42
Candian 42 to 44
••.•• • . ..
SEEDS.

HEMP, FLAX,
.AND

Thcro has not been -an active. demand fo Manfl.
balm Paso changed hands during the wea, v..thti74.r es,
of fair roping Hemp et 453 lon per ton. Theft
good demand for New Zealand flak,and we amin4.3. Lb. pr 74
trainee:Huns during the wank at 1,04 bake, at hards 24,
Jute awanly.
L
"Lk'. Egyptian, Per tee • • • • ••420 to (g
Petersburg 9 hued 31 0
Arclumicul
• • •
lilgs, W.F.P. K. k•
• 6I
61 0
• • 16 0
• • 44 0
.. 41 10 .0
• • y.
• • 34 U
.. 31 0
.• 18 S • •
17 19 0 •
.. 00 0
.. 20 0.. ;

FLAX.

cumm9o to Lair roping

Lliuir,

ikkgm.l
Polimb Ithino .. • •
roluzsburg, Wow
out shot... ..
ball-Joan
Jun, common to ttno
mob
Com hors. Cuyl..ol and 'Bombay

Junk .. - • • • •
Yarn, good toe.xtra Ana

coariu to medium
Filmy =Atter'
bristio kind

ItUrrER MARKET.

CANART, per qr—Engligh new BO to Oi..F 'reign 60 to 54
Haul% per. qr largo 45 to 43—smell .. 43 to 16
CAIULAWAY, par CWI, Ellglisdl „ 30 to 31
„ Foreign New Dutch .. 30 to 31
00SUANDIA „ English 20 to 21 fine bright 22 to 23
- .

eWvaa „ ...odd°. 64 to 68 white ..„ 721084
„ Foreign 54 to 62 „ .. 24 to 86
TIULI:OIL „ English now .. .. 21 to 23
Foreign , ... .• 18 to 21 choice .. 21 to U
ii 01r:LLD per bushel, brown 12 to 13 white .. 1210 13

:A 1077 ,
Is
24 0
••

Of Bugßah Fresh Butter the Ripply
shurt, but Bic quality Bib week hawoutua better. Th
clear, off the bc.t. qualltleo ; wo fitieite
think 16., went country ilk, Itifenor and tll-c itultooew
sod upward.. Oatenel 13.6 d to 170 pow doa
Jo the Foreign Butter Market there ie now ao Jefty
h.l; Nortuauily Ia vary acanat, a to. only bein4 wags*
.1,.1111.0;
Ibeo3osrtolll24lottupelWar 11,
all-41Ck"Dd aKl;e4J:ast". 11:01TI; rieri7llo del nign war. the
market to-day butter, per lk, lo 11 to i, ei;
Witco, Ls lid lo

RAY AND STRAW.
Thumley.
Thu following won, um quotations
Per load ot 36 truss... I Per had Shift.
£4 10 oto£7 0 'Clover IX oin IT ,
Straw £llO oto f 2 00

POULTRY MARKET.
Daum's, pm 6,—Citiclots.
4.6.1; goo.. (oath), 4., 0.1 to Go ; turkey., L.. to ;
Is. 21. to I, 441. per par; eggs, d to 9 tor a shilling.-