The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1863-03-18
TERMS $3.50 PER ANNUM.


|
At no time since the Introduction OF
cotton cultivation in this country, and
the use of cotton in the arts, did it reach
to its present high price In the market,
! The same quality which sold for twelve
cents per pound in 1860, is now selling
for ninety cents. The cause of this 10
well known-three-ffths of the supply
have been cut off by the war. Could an
abundance of fax be obtained, probably
| the use of cotton would almost cease 40
an article for manufacturing purposes
As there are no prospects at present OF
an adequate supply of cotton being fur;
nlshed for several years to come, our
farmers should more generally engage in
the cultivation of fax as one of their
crops. If each of the farmers in the Nor.
thern States would devote few acres
this year to the raising of this fbrous
material, a very large quantity would DO
thus secured for manufacturing purposes,
and for linsecd OIL The fiber would be
used in place Of cotton, and the oil OBJ
tanned from the seed would render us in.
! dependent Of India for this useful sub
stance. 1t is true, greater quantity of
flax was raised last year than for many
years previously still the supply did NOS
meot the demand. A large number Of
the manufacturers of wooden goods have
found it superior TO cotton ss a mixture
with wool, and hereafter they will use il
By preference for this purpose, if they
can obtain sufficient quantities at reason:
able prices and beside lis employment
in such fabrics, there are many other pur-
poses for which it is equally as applics.
BILE and useful.
Formerly fax was extensively eultivat.
ed in New England, New York, New Jer:
sey and Pennsylvania Every farmer
was accustomed to raise a sufficient guam,
tity to make coarse family shirting and
sheeting. 1t was spun on hand wheels,
and woven in hand looms in each house
hold. The same climate and soil for Ito
successful cultivation still exist, and be.
yend this we have now in the Western
States the most extensive domain and the
best soil and climate in the world for rals-
| ing 1t in unlimited quantities. We are
confident that our Western States may
raise fax and become to the textile man
ufacturers of the world what the South
ern States have been to them in raising
cotton; and now is the time to make
preparations for engaging in such efforts.
In the Eastern States the early part Of
May is perhaps the best time to prepars
the land in the Western States the lat
end Of April is the best. The soil should
be plowed deep and pulverizsd With .
fine. toothed harrow, rolled, and put into
as good condition as an onion bed. A
loamy soil, which had been planted the
year previously with potatoes, answers
admirably for fax. AS it respects the
quantity of seed to be used. Mr.. George
Anderson, of Lansingburg, N. Y, who ia
very well informed on the culture aud
manufacture Of fax in Europe and Amer
lea, stated that 'from bushel to bush
el and a quarter per acre, gave the best
results" in Northern New York In IIli-
nois about three quarters of bushsl of
seed to the acre have given about the
best returns. In Ireland much greater
quantity ofseed is used, but thick sowing
is not attended with such favorable re-
suits in America. Many Irish fax grow
ers who have come to America, have
abandoned thick sowing after repeated
trials. From tbs fax raised Oh one acre.
of ground, aboat fourteen bushels Of coed
seed can be obtained, and for the serd
alone, the crop is not uurenunerative..
But is for fiber chiefly that we are urging
it's cultivation, and certainly six hundred
pounds of good fbsr can be raised from
an acre of land At thirty cents per
pound (ons-third that of Gotten at pres.
ent prices the value of an acres product,
would be rot less than one hundred and
eighty dollars. Never before has such an.
inviting prospect for the cultivation Of
fax been presented to our tarmers,-
Scientific A ATaerlroD