The Sun.
London, England, 1850-11-08 00:00:00

FLAX CULTIVATION.

The question of flax cultivation in Ireland con-
tinues to receive attention. It was stated a short time
back that application had been made to the Board
of Trade for a charter to incorporate a company
with a capital of 1,000,0001., who proposed to furnish
a market to the growers by an offer of 121. per acre
(exclusive of the seed) for the produce of land to the
extent of 100,000 acres, and who contemplated the
adoption of a new process of preparation, by which the
slow, injurious, and unhealthy operation of steeping
would be entirely done away with. The answer of the
Board of Trade has not yet been received, but it is ex-
pected to be favourable, although contrary to the spirit
of the recommendations of the Committee of last session
on the savings of the working classes. Some difficulty
has been raised on the point of limited responsibility,
without which the plan cannot and should not be car-
ried forward. Meanwhile further improvements of a
very remarkable kind for facilitating the dressing of
the plant are represented to have been introduced, on
behalf of a foreign inventor, by Mr. J. S. Chris-
topher, of Natal, and to have received the entire ap-
proval of the principal persons conversant with the
peculiar manufactures for which flax is adapted,
either alone or in combination of wool, cotton, or
silk. By the new process, it is said, the fibre
fresh from the field may, in the course of three
hours, be converted into a silky white material of the
purest description, fit for the finest as well as for the
most durable articles, while at the same time other
portions of the plant hitherto destroyed are preserved
and held available for agriculturists. Should these
statements prove strictly accurate, the probable re-
sults, as regards the prosperity of Ireland, can hardly
be over-estimated. The experiments on Irish peat
which we described on the 31st ult. were such as to
promise the profitable redemption of one-seventh of the
entire soil of the island, and the cultivation of flax un-
der tb high scale of remuneration held out in conse-

quence of the alleged inventions, and of the deficiency
of cotton, would almost double their importance. The
quantity of bog in Ireland is estimated at 2,830 000
acres, and, according to a statement of the secretary
of the Royal Irish Flax Improvement Society, the
additional land required to be put into cultivation to
meet even the present demand for flax is 500,000 acres.
With an improvement of texture and a reduction in
cost, such as appears now to have been attained, the
increased demand which has lately manifested itself
must receive a continued impulse, and it is, perhaps,
not vain to contemplate the possible arrival of a period
when, instead of paying 6,000,0001. to 8,000,000/
annually for our importations of this article, we may
consume an infinitely larger amount, and yet at the
same time supply it to other countries.

METROPOLITAN SEWAGE
MANURE COMPANY.

On Tuesday the tenth half-yearly meeting of this
company was held at Willis's Rooms, King-street,
St. Janes's. Mr. H. P. Fuller, chairman of the
company, presided. The report of the directors stated
that the works for bringing the contents of the
Rsnelagh and intermediate ,ewers to the comyany's
station at Sta.nley-bri Ige were in active progress.
The consequent improvement from this measure
would, it was alleged, have been very important,
if, by the extension of the present share list, and
the payment of calls in arrear, they had been
enabled at once to carry the pipes as origi-
nally intended, to a distant district, upon the exe-
cution of which mainly depends the prosperity of the
company ; and in which case, it was confidently be-
lieved, its early anticipation of profit would have
been realised. The general depression of the horti-
cultural interests had operated to discourage a spirit
of enterprise, and prevented many from meeting their
engagements with the company. Notwithstanding
these adverse circumstances, their works had been
continued with sufficient success to authorise their
engaging for an early and abundant supply
of strong sewage water, sufficient to fertilise an area
at least six times the size of their present sphere of
operations, at little more expense than is incurred at
present, as far as the working of the engine is con-
cerned. The shares of certain parties, against whom
it was hopeless to proceed for the recovery of arrears,
had been declared to be forfeited, and legal steps were
taken for the recovery of such arrears in other cases,
not entitled to the extension of further time for pay-
ment. In conclusion, the directors expressed a con-
fident hope that the requisite means would be placed
at their disposal by the shareholders for the prosecu-
tion and extension of their operations, as being the
steps most advantageous to their joint interests ;
and more especially that they may be enabled, in
concert with the Commissioners of Sewers, to trans.
fer the entire contents of the sewers within their dis-
trict from the waters of the Thames, to the manifest
improvement of the land as far as Hounslow and
Isleworth. Of the new sewer now in progress, 300
yards in the Fulham-road, and 30 yards in the King's-
road, are now completed. From the accounts of the
past half-year, the current expenses have been
5,0951. Os. Bd. ; the total amount received on seven
calls was 20,9571. 143. 6d. ; the balance at the bankers',
1,3481. Os. sd. The report was ultimately adopted,
the three retiring directors, Messrs. Fuller, Har-
greaves, and Hodgkin, and Mr. Owen Jones, being
afterwards re-elected. A vote of thanks to the Chair-
man terminated the proceedings.