The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1863-03-19

r. p. ..4sa q
The scarcity aud consequent high
price of cotton have induced farmers
ia vari"us parts of the country Ia turn
their attention To the culture IF flax.
We learn that many Of our farmers IN
the West are preparing IL devote con-
of the CROP, which will prove as profit
able ~ any they can raise this year.
"A Penns, Iva',iar', " ho has had much
s-r-rience in The culture of fax, and
i-rstanls allssbeui it, Wishes To pub
ishfhe fciinwiu. hipts aud suggestions
l.. those at. our Western farmers who
intend trying the experiment:
Select piece at deep, rich soil, not
too stiff or wet-last years potato
patch will do If not freshly MANFRED, or
otherwise liable To weeds or Il piece
of the corn ground will do, if rich
enough. The best "i all, however, is
old pasture or meadow, or new ground.
ii sod is broken mp. let the furrow
be keep and turned well down with the
pillow, aud the harrow be drawn alon.
the burrows for the 6rst time in the
same direction the pillow went. so az to
fatien out The sod and turn down the
grass edgts; then cross harrow effec-
tually, aud use a roller If ynii have one,
and after the roller. loosen up the earth
again with the harrow just before SOW
ing the seed. Sow the seed as evenly
as y"u can, and cover it with very
light harrow, IT. yon have il, and ii you
have not, take q thorn bush and brusl,
it IN. The seed should mt be covered
deeper than half an inch. After it is
brushed in, or lightly narrowed, it wiIi
help 10 c"v-r ii, and he of grea, advat,
tsc~, ." run The roller over it agaili
Snli, this implement may be dispensed
With IT il cannot be procured convcii-
itntiy.
The seed should be clean aud free as
I's'wxiblr irum mixture with grass,
weeds, ar other kinds of seeds. IL
sl,"ulh br fresh, that is. "i las, years
l'roG1r.iun.i Good seed weighs about
rIgs sss,l pounds Ia the peek, is ot n
bright. glossy c"l''r, and plump appear
aser. and feels smooth and slippery,
and i'll sink in water.
One hundred an.l sixty bounds, or
fs., and halt bushels, is about the usu
nj quantity sewn Ia The acre.
The ss.a-ou proper tor sowing is just
as earl, after the middle "f March as
shr weather vii permit, and the ground
Is dry enough I" undergo th. necessary
cultivation. Flax culture and mann
f. Il al.
tory Of the human race. IL luxuriates
in any soil, from the shores of the Nile
t"Eear the north pole, aud il D"wIse
fastidiUus about climate. A spring
frost will do il no harm.
Having put in Your crop in good err
der, it requires no more attention and
in june yuur .aor p0tch viii become a
grand flower bed, at tar more singular
aud and surprising beauty than any
bed at portulaca or 1o1t0c drun,naondi.
In July the neat round seed pn,Is
turn yell.'w, anil the leaves OF the main
stem begin To wilt and drop. This iD
dictates that your fax is ready IT, pull;
AMI then don't spend two ar three day.
Of ,"ur precious lime in the fax patch,
gathering The slender stems of this
b~au,iiui flower with your great rough
hands. Have an eve to economy and
ssrislily. Your wife or daughters will
invite the neighboring girls, some fine
sti-'n"',n, I" ti"r pulling and ten
T'.r', II YIN have an hour la spare III
,''s lax patch, ,"a will see ,n"re hearty
f'is,, an'i have mere clear rin.in. laugh
Ter than M q month uf social city life.
Ia tbrss yrning you will find yonr flax
alipuliesi a'id tied ~ in neat little bun
fi';>--7tiNe az six sci l. gether, ready a.
o. throws "n the wagon and taken Ia
Ire barn When sufficiently dried.
II y"n don't know how to separate
tisr -sed and prepare and dress the
flax after you have it housed, apply Ia
SEINE nrighI"r Who does; or enplo,
some IrisImsn or German woman 4.
do il for you. Almost every one oI
these people know all about IT,, aud viii
do It up neatly by the job, or by the
dozen, or pound at cleansed flax, a
y"n and they have agreed. -