The Express.
London, England, 1847-03-25 00:00:00

FLAX CULTURE IN IRELAND.

SIR,—In a late number of your publication, I
observe some remarks approving of the objects and labours
of the Royal Society for the Promotion and Improvement
of the Growth of Flax in Ireland. As lam much interested
in the proceedings of that body, and conceive that, at the
resent time especially, it is calculated to he of much lot nefit
to Ireland, I take the liberty of laying before you a brief
statement of the position of flax culture in relation to the
Irish linen manufacture ; and of the important results. to the
arriculture and trade of the country, which would follow the
full der. lopment of the society's plan..
The manufactures of the United Kingdom consume from
90,000 to 110,000 tons of flax per annum. Of this quantity
Russia supplies between four and five eighths, Prussia an
eighth; Holland, Belgium, and France, a sixteenth;
Egypt, Sicily, Oecmany, and Denmark, a fractional part;
and Ireland about two eighths, or rather more. Thu is a
proximate calculation, the proportions frequently varying
considcrably. Of all the foreign countries from which we
derive our supply, Holland and Belgium are the only ones
whose climate is absolutely suited to the production of flax,
and the climate of Ireland is found generally superior to all.
The flax plant requires a temperate climate, with a regular
supply of genial moisture, to fully mature a delicate and
elastic fibre. In hot countries, or such as Russia, where the
summer is very dry, the plant never produces • fine fibre,
but the yield of seed is abundant.
In consequence of the growing appreciation of the quail-
ties of Irish flax, and the opinion of experienced foreigners
that a more careful eystem of management in its growth
and preparation would render it equal to the best and supe-
r;or to the great bulk of tho foreign import, the satiety was
formed in Ilelfast in 11141. It aimed at introducing the
modes of culture practised in Holland and Belgium, and
thus improving the quality of the crop ; and also at increas-
ing the production in Ireland up to the amount required by
the entire linen trade, and thus economising the sums an-
nually paid to foreigners for this material. Being exten-
sively serpoeted by the Isacline loaded pmmieters ia the
north of Ireland, and by the different branches of the linen
trade, it was enabled to carry out its plans with vigour.
By the location of Belgian instruetirs in the Irish flax grow-
ing distrieta, and by sending intelligent young farmers to
Belgium, to acquire a knowledge of the system of manage-
ment there practised, who, on their return, were also located
through the country, much knowledge was disseminated,
and • great impulse given to flax culture. The result, in the
four succeeding years, will be easily seen by the following
returns of the qeantity grown, which were carefully ascer-
tained and published by the society :
In 1841
1842
1843
1844
Besides the fibre, the society recommended attention to be
paid to the saving of the seed, which, though • most valuable
food for cattle, was allowed by the farmers to go to waste in
the steep-pools. Its recommendations were followed by a
great number, and it was calculated that the entire value of
both flax and seed realised in the last-mentioned year
amounted to two millions sterling--an increase, from 1841,
of 14,400 tons of flax, and 775,0001. The quality sees im-
proved. according to the opinions of competent judges,
about 101. per ton, by the improvements of management, and
the introduction of superior machinery for separating the
fibre from the stem.
The province of Ulster was then the limit of the flax
industry of Ireland. There was the scat of the linen mann-
' facture, established by the Huguenota, and carried on as a
kind of rural manufacture up to the great changes caused
by the adaptation of machinery to the process of spinning,
which introduced the factory system. That the superiority
of Ulster over the rest of Ireland is in a great measure to
be attributed to the linen trade, has been often acknew
lodged. Widely spread through all the agricultural die-
tricts, its profile disseminated through the various slaws of
flax-growers, seetchers, hocklers, spinners, reeler., weavers,
bleachers, and linen merchants, each class affording • means
of livelihood to many others subordinate, and dependent on
it, this trade formed a constant source of employment and
of profit to the people. The posseniion of land being but of
minor importanee, since the profits of the weaver and his
family enabled him to live independent of the proceeds of
his farm, • habit of self-reliance and self-dependence was
naturally acquired. Unlike his poorer fellow, in the
south, he never sunk to the abject, serf-like condition,
while his physical and moral condition were infinitely supe-
rior. In this rural maanfacturc, the supply of the raw
material was naturally obtained in its immediate locality,
and often the flax was grown, spun, and woven by the same
persons, in their double capacity of farmers and weavers,
the females in winter finding a lucrative employment in
spinning the yarn. But when mill-spinning was introduced
and eupeneded handwork, the great increase of the trade
consequent on the cheaper production of linens, caused the
spinners to look further for a proportion of their raw mate-
rial, and much was imported from foreign countries. Add
to this, that the English and Scotch bought extensively in
the Irish market for the supply of their mills, and, esti-
mating the good qualities of Irish flax, they increased their
consumption, until some substituted it entirely for the
foreign article.
Encouraged by the success of its operations in the north
of Ireland, and seeing the large demand existing for Irish
flax, the society was Induced to extend its operations south-
want ond westward. It was evident that great benefit
would be conferred by this course on the population
of those districts, from the vast amount of em-
ployment that the plant would afford in its cul-
tine, and the preparation of its fibre for the spinner. And
this employment would be the more valuable, since a large
proportion required the women and children, who in many
parts of Ireland are totally without occupation. The in-
structors of the society were therefore sent to every part of
the south and west, where the landed proprietors evinced •
desire to avail themselves of their services. The results were
very satisfactory, as the soils of the new districts proved pe-
cutiarly suitable to the plant; and as an instance of the
rapidity with which its culture was introduced, where there
were active and energetic landlords to co-operate, I may
mention that, an one estate in Mayo, where in 1844 no flax
was grown, in 1816, 110 tons were brought to market, value
upwards of £5,000. It appears from the society's report for
1846, that their operations were extended over twenty-six
counties, twentvone being beyond the limits of Ulster. At
the annual meeting in Belfast, November, 1846, Mr. W.
Sharman Crawford, M.P., in moving the adoption of that
report, made the following remarks, which will at once show
the extreme importance, as a means of wealth to the country,
and of employment to the people, of this most important of
Ireland's industrial resources:
It might be desirable now to consider what the resources of the
country would admit of, and to take a review of the peodnetima of flax
which might be created from the lands of Ireland, properly managed,
on a rotation system. In the report of the comsaimitmen for the re-
turn of the population, they bond, that the portion of the Lands of
Ireland, St fur the purposes of agriculture, exclusive of all other de-
scription., amounted to 13,481,300 acres. Instead of one-eighth,
which It bsd been 'hewn was perfectly cansietent with good
farmine, let them suppose that only one-sixteenth were appro-
priated to Sax, they should have 1141,518 servo; six cwt., or ab
one-third of a tun, was considered a rale average produce bv the acre
that would give ne Yes than 232,453 ices; sod, at 431. per ten,