The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1863-03-05
AN ESSAY

CuVIC Va" ohCSsioposeyp
.E.# AMOS DEAN.
On the Cultiration Of F1ar Seed, for
rhich Premium Of FVty Dollars
ras paid by the MANUFACTURERS Of Oils
at St Louis and other places.
On account of the low price Of most
Of our farm commodities, and the high
price of Flax Seed, many Of our enter
prising farmers are preparing to plant
this crop largely the present Spring
Several millions Of dollars are paid an
nually to foreign countries for the seed
and oil expressed from it. |. is strange
that this country should be the importer
of an article which can be so easily pro.
duced BY our own people, and which is
so perfectly adapted to our soil and eli
mate. 1t is great drain upon the spe-
Gle of our country. We might, with the
same propriety, neglect to raise enough
wheat or corn for our own consumption,
and thus be compelled to depend upon
foreign nations for cur supply Of these
articles; for We maintain, that flax seed
can be raised at greater average prof.
than wheat or corn.
Farmers can undertake the culture of
flax seed with an almost absolute certain.
ty of obtaining high prices, and Of being
rewarded for their labor The farmers
of the West have an opportunity of
reaping a rich harvest by paying some
attention to this crop. We do not know
of any farm crop which promises such
rich returns.
The cultivation of fax seed is as sim
pie as that of any crop we have 1t re-
quires no more labor than to raise aud
harvest crop Of oats, barley or wheat
The following directions, if followed, will
enable any farmer to raise large crop Of
strictly prime seed.
ssLkCTIoN OF SOIL.
Almost any dry, rolling, moderately
rich land, will produce good seed 1t i,
generally thought that fax seed should
be sown on moist, rich land-such as our
creek and river bottoms This opinion
prevails because the straw Of flax grows
more luxuriantly on such land. When
flax is sown for the fibre, it should be
planted on moist, rich laud-but the
seed is always inferior. Tue best seed
l.. G., richest 10 oleaginous matter, is pro-
duced upon rather dry, rolling, and only
moderately fertile soil. The stalks are
shorter, branch more, and the bolls I'll
better. When the flax is cultivated for
the fibre, or for the fibre and seed, the
seed will always be inferior in quality to
that sown exclusively for the seed on
dryer land aud when not sown so thick
as it must be when the fibre is made an
object. A better quality of seed is also
obtained in dry season than in wet
one, 1. e., the seed contains a greater per
cent. of oil The straw does not grow
so rank, and the hollis ill with larger,
richer seed.
PREPARATION OF THE SOIL.
The soil should be put in the fnesI
possible filth for the reception of The
seed. One good, deep blowing, and sew
eral borrowings, so as to make the sur
AoSS uhS "uu ShloOti, Will duSWeI. Du
it is better, where it can be done, t
pillow the ground deeply in the fall, ex
posing the sub soil to the action Of tn
trosts and atmosphere. In the spring
cross pow the land, and harrow as befor
recommended. One thing must Away
be borne in mind 10 preparing land fo
fax seed, and that is, the land must nc
be worked when wet. If it is, it will b
lumpy, sticky, and in bad condition fo
crop. When the soil is dry, it pu
verizes freely and DO such consequence
follow. 1t is desirable to have "a heav
roller drawn over the field, to crush an
thoroughly pulverize any Jumps or eod
that may be on the surface. The Who'll
cultivation Of the crop, and the yiel
therefrom, depend upon putting the Ian
in proper condition for the seed 4 lii
tie extra labor and care 10 this respec
will yield a rich return.
If the sub-soil is retentive clay, it
better to pillow the ground in back fur
rows or lands, eighteen or twenty fee
wide, leaving the burrows between tn
lands open for the passage of water il
case of heavy rains, or an undue amour
of moisture.
SEED FOR PLANTING.
Like begets like" not more surely in
the animal, than in the vegetable world
-therefore, the very best quality of seed
NLOuld be ohtainsd A. a.