Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1863-03-05
OF course when a manufacturer fur.

J
pected to stipulate price for the balance |
of the crop, beyond the ordinary average,
taking series of years into account-and
it is upon this basis that the business has
been conducted hitherto, and it is still
continued to the acceptance of a majority
of the farmers in the largest flax growing
districts. In this connection We would
add, that with good seed to SOW, there is
nothing like flax as a preparatory crop tor
wheat. The testimony of Ohio farmers,
where flax has been extensively grown tor
over quarter of a century, is explicit on
this point, and to this fact we would call
the especial attention of our Illinois and
Wisconsin farmers, whose wheat growing
for some time has been so discouraging.
TIME OF CUTTING.
Flax should be cut as soon as the bolls
begin to turn brown, and while the stalk
is yet green. II LETT standing too long
there will be great loss Of seed in harvest
ing.
MODE OF CUTTING.
A few farmers answered our question
OF this head, with cradle" but a large
majority said, with machine" And
from the number of reapers mentioned as
working we'll, we are persuaded that al
most all our standard machines can be
used to advantage in cutting fax. When
it is raised principally for the seed there
is no necessity for binding it "a great saw
ing Of time and expense as compared with
harvestiI 6 wheat when five or six men
are required to bind after the reaper) but
may be simply raked off into gavels and
lie until dry, when it is ready for thresh-
ing or stacking. As, while standing, it is
less liable to damage from heavy showers
than wheat, SO now when cut, it will bear
heavy rain with little detriment, if
turned over afterwards, so as to prevent
the bolls from getting into the dirt
Should the weather continue wet, it can
be quickly dried in an interval of sunshine
(there being no leaves to retain moisture)
and then stacked, using hay for topping
off, In which shape it may stand if neces-
sary, until cold winter weather, before
threshing though it is better to thresh
early, SO as to have September and Octo-
Der for dew rotting the straw.
MODE OF THREsHING.
"With fall" said a few Germans, in
the vicinity Of Chicago, who have raised
some OF the finest crops on record, but the
rest were divided almost equally between
"treadiDg out with horses and "a ma
chine" In some sections, ard those
where they had raised most, and for the
longest time, they report no difficulty in
using machines with some slight altera-
tons, to suit better the nature of the
crop; but we are of opinion, in view of
al the answers received, that, for the Or
binary run of farmers, and the small
amount raised by each, treading out "
may be safely recommended as the sim.
plest and cheapest method. When this is
done, however, great care should be used
to prepare floor SO that the seed shall
be kept from getting mixed with dirt,
which is a great and serious fault with
large proportion of that which is brought
to this market. Then, too, an ordinary
threshing machine will give you only tan
gled flax, which is always of less value
than straight, so that if the straw is
heavy. it will pay better to bind in bun
dies and tread out, thus keeping the straw
in good shape for spreading to rot and to
sell as straight fibre. The good sense and
peculiar circumstances of each farmer will
IL,
for large operations, the machine must OF
course be the method.
CLEANING SEED
Is an item in raising flax that must have
more attention from our Western farmers
than it has hitherto received. Until lately
the makers OF tanning mills had little or
no experience with it, and so furnished no
screens suitable; but now, several of them
furnish flax screen, with which large
amount of the foul seeds can be removed
and there is certainly no excuse for trans.
porting prairie DIRT, at high rate of
freight, to the damaging of the crop in the
market and the great annoyance of the
manufacturer, who has to separate every
particle of it before crushing the seed.-
The difference of price between lots OF
seed belonging to different parties is main
ly determined by the manner IN which it
las been cleaned by the farmer. .
YIELD PER ACRE.
The average yield of seed may be stated
at ten to twelve bushels per acre. Seine
report tifteen-the lowest nine The lar
gest yield of which we have heard was
twenty-three bushels to the acre, but
ty bushels, in 1861.
The average yield of straw is one and
half to two and half tons-when cut
yielding about one ton of rotted straw, for
which there is now an active demand
with every prospect of its increase, as ma
chimes for breaking out the fibre are i'm
proved and multiplied.
Messrs. Walworth, Hubbard & Co., of
this city, who have invented and con-
structed powerful breaker, are now pay
ing from eight to twelve dollars per ton,
according to quality, delivered in Chicago,
and will contract with responsible parties
for the delivery of large amounts the ensu-
ing autumn.
COST OF PRODUCTION.
In reply to our inquiry On this point the
answers are almost unanimous, About
the same as wheat" Some say that Gin
regard to preparation of ground and sow.
ing, Just the same as wheat. Harvesting
less expensive, but cleaning trife more"
So that it may be safely put down as cost
ing less to raise flax than wheat.
CERTAINTY OF THE CROP.
On this point there is perfect agreement
from ali sections. One man says: 81
have raised it for over twenty years. and
nine years in succession upon one piece of
land, and never knew it to fail" Anoth-
er reply, signed by several farmers, says
"lf sown in season there is no crop more
certain" Another +" If put in early l
think it sure CROP" and one in southern
Illinois, where Corn is King" writes
Taking the ordinary run of seasons flax
is as certain as any crop except corn"