Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1863-03-05
From the Chicago Tribune. l

per Acre-Cost of Production Certainty of
the Crop.
From the Chicago Tribune.]
The numerous inquiries now being made
upon the subject of flax culture, show that
more general attention is being given to it
than ever before, and in order to meet and
answer these inquiries, the practical ex-
perience of some hundreds of flax growers
in Illinois and the adjoining States has
been obtained through a series of cues
tions sent out for written answers, and
the substance Of them has been condensed
for this paper.
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
seasons it does finely on even our fat
prairies, though when such wet season
as the last occurs, it will prove a failure
on them, unless the land is underdrained.
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. e. thorough preparation of
the ground by blowing and narrowing :"
In most European countries it is sown IS
the first or fallow crop, (where a 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 we'll har-
rowed before sowing.
1t heavy manuring is to be done, it will
be better to put on corn first, and then
follow that with flax, in which case the
land should be deeply plowed in the fall.
In answer to our inquiries on this point. a
large majority of farmers say, ''let it fol-
low corn, and bat one objection is urged
against il, which is that the old roots and
stalks OF the corn interfere with the close
working of a machine in cutting it. If
those are carefully removed, we should
advise in the language of our replies, '.let
it follow corn" with deep fall blowing,
and then narrowing before sowing until
the surface is thoroughly pulverized and
made as smooth as possible.
SOWING.
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
25th of April to the 10Th of May is early
enough generally.
Having prepared the ground as before
stated, sow broadcast, taking pains to dis
tribute the seed as evenly as possible
The quicker the seed terminates and ap-
pears above ground the better, and there
fore it should be covered slightly with
light harrow Or brush, and then rolled
The largest crops raised in this 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 30 be
sown will depend upon the leading OBJ
ject of the farmer in raising the crop. If
the seed is the main thing with him, then
two pecks to the acre is the almost unani-
nous testimony of those who have grown
it longest and most largely. If fibre is
the object then of course the seeding
should be heavier. For the present, tn e
safest rule for our W estern farmers is from
two to three recks to the acre, the leading
idea being as yet to secure the greatest
amount of seed.
QUALITY OF SEED.
Too much pains cannot be taken to get
that which is fully nlatured, and perfectly
clean-free from all foul seeds-both to
secure good merchantable crop, and to
preserve the land on which it is sown
from troublesome weeds. Farmers often
experience great difficulty in procuring
such seed, as no ordinary tanning mill will
remove some of the worst enemies of the
farmer and good flax.
1t was this fact, more than any other,
that led to the system of " loaning seed
and contracting the crop" which has been
SO long practised in Ohio, Indiana, and
elsewhere. The linseed oil manufacturer
who receives The crop of large section
of country is enabled to select choice lots
of seed and reserve them for sowing, and
then by machinery too expensive and
cumbrous for ordinary use, to clean it so
thoroughly that he can gin out each year
an almost perfect article of sowing seed.
OF the superiority of such seed over what
can ordinarily be obtained in the market |
and even at seed stores, we are convinced. ]