Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1821-10-09
AGRICULTURAL.
ESSAY ON FLAX HUSBANDRY,
BY s. W. PoMERoy, ESQ.
gice President Of the Massachusetts Society for
Promoting agriculture.
No 9
CHANGE OF SEED.

Promoting agriculture.
No. 2.
CHANGE OF SEED.
Notwithstanding it is an opinion well
established among experienced Flax
growers in this country, that change OF
seed is advantageous, it is apprehended
that they are not aware OF the extent OF
the benefit to be derived from selecting
seed from soil or climate essentially diff
fcrent; and it may be owing to want of
attention in this particular that the fax
crops are so unc er.ain, and the quality
inferior, however. perfect in other re-
spects the system may be conducted.
Mr.. Young observes, that foreign flax.
seed was universally used in Ireland,
when it could be obtained, otherwise they
were careful to procure seed which grew
upon soil Of an opposite quality from
that which was to be sown," 6 that Ame-
rican seed was preferred, and produced
finer Flax than any other. Baltic seed
produced more, but ola coarser quality"
1t is we'll known that American seed al
ways bears the highest price in the Irish
market.
We next look to Flanders, where fax
was cultivated at period as early as the
commencement of the christian era.*
Fortunately we arc furnished with "di-
rections for cultivating flax after the Elan
ders method" published by commission
ers and trustees appointed by the British
government to promote the linen trade
in Scotland, at the head of whom was the
celebrated Lord Kaims. From this high
authority we learn that ii was the prac-
tice "to SOW seed imported from Riga,
if it could be obtained, otherwise the pro-
duce of Riga seed sown in Holland,
and if that could not be had, that which
Riga seed had produced in their own
country, being careful to choose that
which had grown on soils of different
texture and quality. What is the prac-
tice in Germany, where the cultivation
is very extensive BY a respectable Bri-
fish publication, now before met in
which an account is given of the trade
of Stettin, city of Prussian Pomerania,
situated near the mouth OF the river Oder,
it appears that the extent OF the linen
trade is estimated by the quantity OF Flax
seed imported: and it is stated that on an
average of ten years preceding l7S6,
twcnty-one thousand, six hundred and
{orty-fve tons Of Flaxseed were annually
imported into that port, to be sent up
the Oder and the waters connected with
it,which, at forty bushels per ton, amounts
to upwards of eight hundred thousand
bushels !! sufficient for half million of
acres at the rate it is sown in this coun-
try! and it is not improbable that large
quantities are imported into other ports
connected with the German rivers.
Foreign Flaxseed was sought after
even in the remote vallies Of Switzerland,
as appears by the following extract from
a treatise on the culture Of Flax by Mr..
Tschiffeli, president Of the economical
society of Bcrne. "In general the best
flaxseed is produced on strong soil, and
in cold climates. Experience has long
convinced US that what is brought from
Livonia" (Riga seed) sis to be prefer
red to all others, but when this cannot
bc.procured, we must make use OF that
which grows on our own mountains, for
instance Gessenai, Jura," &c.
A Flemish colony FIRST settled the ISL
and Of Fayal, and introduced Flax. They
have become amalgamated with the Por-
tuguese, but the culture, and manufac-
ture Of linen in families, has continued
to an extent nearly equal to the cloath-
ing and general consumption Of very
dense population. The soil is mostly in
tillage, and from its elevation admits OF
variety Of aspect and temperature, and
great care is bestowed on the culture
Of Flax. have been informed by Mr..
Dabney, the United States consul for the
Azores, who has resided fifteen years at
Fayal, that American seed, obtained
from ships bound to Ireland arriving in
distress, has been sown; and the pro-
duct, in Aax and seed, has been fifty per,
cent. more than from that Of native
growth by the side Of it !! We have no
information to this point from Russia or
Italy; but it is believed that examples
enough have been cited to shew the inn
portance attached to this branch Of the
system in, Europe, and to justify the con-
sPliny's Natural History: Book 10.
Commercial Agri. Mag. vol. iii. 1900.