The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1863-03-25

GD We design to make this department OF the
Trnss loading testuIs Of the paper, and We invite
from cur agricultural and horticultural ffisuds any
'afOssaation With viii contribute to iss vslas.
Cultivate FLAX.
At no time since the introduction of cot
ton cultivation in this country, and the use
Of cotton lin the arts, did it reach its
present high price in the market. The
same quality which sold for twelve cents
per pound in 1860, is now selling for ninety
ssnts. The cause OF this is we'll known
three fifths Of the supply has been cut of
by the war. Could an abundance Of Tax
be obtained, probably the use Of cotton
would almost cease as an article for man
s!aeturing purposes. AS there are no
prospects ut present Of adequate supply
Of cotton being furnished for several years
70 come, cur farmers should more gener-
Il y engage in the cultivation Of fax as one
Of their crops. II each of the farmers in
the Northern States would devote few
acres this year to the raising Of this fi6rous
material, very large quantity would be
thus secured for manufacturing purposes,
and for Iinsecd oil. Tbs 6bro would be
used in place Of cotton, and the oil obtain.
cd from the seed would render us indie
pendent of India, for this useful substance
1t is true, a greater quantity Of fax was
raised last year than for many years pre-.
siously, still the supply did not meet the
demand. A large number Of the ,nanufac-
turers Of wooden goods have found it supe-
rior to cotton as mixture with wool, and
hereafter they will use it by preference for
this purpose, If they can obtain sufficient
quantities at reasonable prices, and besides
its employment in such fabrics. There arc
many other purposes for which it is equally
IS applicable and useful. Formerly flax
was extensively cultivated in and
New England, New York, New Jersey,
Pennsylvania. Every farmer was accus-
toned to raise sufficient quantity to make
coarse shirtings and shcctings. 1t was
spun on hand wheels and woven in hand
looms in each household The same climate
and soil for its successful cultivation still
exist, and beyond this we have now in the
Western States the most extensive domain
and the best soil and climate in the world
for raising it in unlimited quantities. We
are confident that our Western States may
raise flax and become TO the textile manu-
facturcrs of the world, what the Southern
States have been to them in raising cotton,
and now is the time to make preparations
for engaging in such efforts.
In the Eastern Suites the early part of
May is perhaps the best time to prepare
the land, in the Western States in tire latter
end of April is the best. The soil should
be plowed deep and pulverized with fine.
toothed harrow, rolled and put into as good
a condition as an onion bed. A loamy
soil, which had been planted the year pre-
viously with potatoes. answers admirably
for fax. AS it respects the quality of seed
to be used, Mr.. George Anderson, Of Lans-
ingburgh, New York, who is very we'll in.
formed OH the culture and manufacture Of
fax in Europe and America, stated in a
communication on page 80, Vol. 6, (nev
series) Scientific American that from a
bushel to bushel and quarter per acre
save the best results in northern N. York.
In Illinois about three quarters Of bushel
Of seed to the acre have given about the
best returns. In Ireland much greater
quantity Of is used, but thick sowing is
,,ot attended with such favorable results in
America. Many Irish fax growers who
have come to America, have abandoned
thick sowing after repeated trials. From
the flax raised ON one acre Of ground, about
fourteen bushels Of good seed can be %
tanned and for the seed alone the crop is
not unremunerative. But it is for the
fiber chiefly that we are urging its cultiva-
!ion, and certainly six hundred pounds of
fiber can Do raised from an acre Of land at
thirty cents per pound, Zone third that Of
cotton at present prices) the value Of an
acres product would not be less than one
hundred and eighty dollars. Never before
las such an inviting prospect for the cult.
ration of flax been presented to or far.
,ners