Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1865-03-17
TEE CULrURE OF FLAx-As the far

THE CULTURE OF FLAx--As the far
mer is admonished by approaching
Spring that he must soon decide what
seed he will plant, let US call his atten-
tion to few facts which might otherwise
be overlooked The demand for Flax,
both seed and straw, must be greater, and
the price higher, than it has been in pre-
vious years; for we have depended, in
this country, in a great measure, for our
seed, upon tie crops In East India, and
the usual low rates of freight and the ia
cilities for shipping, the ease with which
it was paid for, by the low rates of for
eign exchange, made it a successful rival
to our home crops and what is true Of
the seed, is true also of the fibre. We
depended upon Russia, Ireland and Scot
land for our linens, and for our long line
or straight fax, and also for fax tow, so
that the farmer was not sure that the
straw when raised would be of much if
any value to him, or more than pay the
expense of carting, and the price OF seed
might vary with the Eastern market.
But now he knows when he puts in his
crop of Flax that he is not to depend up
on the tastes or fancies of the people for
a sale of it, but that he is supplying a
necessary want as much as he is when e
plants wheat or corn, for we must have
inseed oil and we must have bags for
grain, carpet warp, wool twines, &C., and
what else is there to manufacture them
from but fax at the present price of cot
ton?
1t may not be generally known that the
crop Of straw when raised is to be manu-
factued in our midst, and that the Della
ware Manufacturing Company have in
creased their factory by the addition Of
substantial two story stone mill, 100 feet
by 80, in which can be seen machinery for
preparing fax, spinning, weaving, &C.,
driven by an engine of 1O0-horse power.
Some little idea can be obtained Of the
size of the engine from the fact that the
main or driving pulley is IA feet In diam
eter and weighs q tons. The above
mentioned mill employs one hundred and
twenty-five hands in the different depart |
ments, and thus brings to our town much |
business. They will continue to pay the
highest price for straw Of all kinds,
straight and tangled, green or retted, and |
the farmer, by encouraging home manu-
tactures, not only gets the goods he wants |
at less than Eastern prices, but benefits |
himself by the growth and in the bust
ness and value Of real estate. One word |
more. Let US advise the farmers to plant |
a larger amount of fax seed per acre than
they have been in the habit of doing, as
when the ground is well covered with
seed, the weeds are kept down, and they
have a larger and consequently better
paying crop of both seed and straw. From
three pecks to a bushel per acre is as lit
tie as should ever be sown, to be sure of
a good crop. And while we describe the
Delaware Manufacturing Company, let US
not forget the new Oil Mill built by Mr.
JAS. A. Barnes last year, which the farmers
are too familiar with tU need any descrip-
ton Of. 1t is conceded by all to be one
OF the finest oil mills in the State, and
Mr. Barnes will take all the fax seed that
can be raised and pay the highest market
price. In conclusion, we would say en-
by all means home manufactures
and enterprise.