Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1863-03-04


Chose wisely choose quickly for time moves apace,
Each day Is an age In the life Of our rece
Lord, lead them in love, ere they hasten in fear
From the vsst-rising Hood that shall girdle the
spherei Hsf
Flax Culture.
.Soil-PrepGration of Soiz-So,oiag- Quantity
Mode of Threshing-Czeaning Seed Yield
per Acre-Cost of Prodaction-Ce Certainty of
the Crop.
From the Chicago Tribune.l
The numerous inquiries now being mede
upon the subject of flax culture, show that
more general attention is being given to it
than ever before, and in order tc meet and
answer these inquiries, the practical ex-
perience of some hundreds of flax growers
in Illinois and the adjoining States hiss
been obtained through series of ques-
tons sent out for written answers, and
the substance of them has been condensed
fcr tLis paper. 1850 s1--
SOIL
Flax prefers rich sandy soil; but will
do well on any ground that is suitable for
wheat or corn.
The rolling prairies of the West are
well adapted to it, and in ordinarily dry
6cdSOHS IL OISo luOi} OA CsSA our hdt
prairies, though when such a wet season
as the last occurs, it will prove a failure
on them, unless the land is undetermined
Experience shows that the land within
forty miles of Chicago produces large crops
of both seed and straw numerous fields
having yielded from fourteen to eighteen
bushels the last year. The rolling coun-
try about Champaign, Decatur, Bloom
ington, Wilmington, and almost the west
ern Northwestern portions of this State,
as also large tracts in Wisconsin, Mime
sofa and Iowa afford the best soil for flax
PREPARATION OF SOIL.
All experienced farmers unite in stating
one thing as essential to success in grow
ing flax I. Thorough preparation If
the ground by blowing and narrowing !"
In most European countries it is sown as
the first or fallow crop, (where system
of rotation is adopted,) and always follow
ed by wheat When this is done the land
should be plowed the summer previous
and then re-plowed as early in the spring
as the weather will permit, and well har-
rowed before sowing. ~ knzH
Ii heavy msnuring is to be done, it will
be better to put on corn first, and then
follow that with fax, in which case the
land should be deeply plowed in the fall.
In answer to our inquiries on this point. q
large majority of farmers say, ''let it fol-
low corn, and bat one objection i. urged
against il. which 10 that the old roots and
.teIAs of the corn interfere witt the close
working Of a machine in cutting it. If
those are carefully removed. We should
advise in thelsnguage of ouF replies, 'let
it follow corn with deep iall blowing,
and then narrowing before sowing until
the surface is thoroughly pulverized and
made as smooth rs possible.
AS to the time of sowing, it will of
course vary with the latitude and locality;
but the general rule may be stated in the
precise language of several farmers-'as
soon as the ground will admit of it.''
In the southern part of this State most
of the seed is sown as early as March
In the central counties about the 1st of
April, while in our northern districts, and
in Wisconsin and Minnesota, from the
10Th of April to the 10Th Of May is early
enough generally.
stated, SOW broadcast, taking pains TO dis
tribute the seed as evenly as possible
The quicker the seed terminates and ap-
fore it should be covered slightly with a
light harrow or brush, and then rolled
The largest crops raised in thi State have
been by farmers who never harrow after
sowing, but merely roll it in. The rolling
IS an important matter, as it will facili-
tate the operations of the reaper and en-
able you TO secure greater length of
straw, which adds to its value. - --
The quantity of seed per acre 20 be
sown will depend upon the leading OBJ
ject Of the farner in raising the crop. II
the seed is the main thing with him. then
two pecks to the acre is the almost unspi-
nous testimony of those who have grown
1t longest AMI most largely. Ii fibre is
the object thsn of course the seeding
should be heavier. For the present, the
safest rule for our Western farmers is from
two to three ecks to the acre, the leading
idea being as yet to secure the greatest
amount of seed.
QUALITY OF sERD. ---~-~
Too much pains cannot be taken to get
that which is fully ulatured, and perfectly
clean-free from all foul seeds-both to
secure good merchantable crop, and to
rEaN.A