The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1870-03-05
FLAX SEED.
ALBANY, March, I'd, 1870.

ALBANY, March, I'd, 1870.
Enron ALBANY REGIsTER-Dedr Sir: In a
rscert ;ss,e of the Willamette Farmer, there ap-
peared an item stating that the flax seed being
loaned out among the farmers in the State, was
full of California mustard, and other foul seeds.
In relation to the matter, it will be no more
than lust to say that the fax seed distributed by
the Pioneer Oil Company and myself was never
grown in California. Tie first bag OF East India
seed was ordered b. myself, from New York city,
for our own local mill at Salem some three years
ago About year ago L bl ought up from the
mills of the Pacific Oil and Lead Works OF San
Francisco, the seed for sowing nearly one thous-
and acres, every sack of which was just as it
came on shipment from the East Indies
Some two or three years ago, Messrs H. Nick
erson and Houston, jointly imported from Cali
fornia seventy-fve pounds of the same kind of
seed. and have since been sowing and re-sowing
that seed and its annual yields, until this last
Fall, when the entire crop was sold to the Pio-
neer Oil company at Salem, for contracting pur-
poses | am net aware that the seed imported by
Messrs Nickerson and Houston was ever grown
in California. nor that the seed produced so prof
itabIy by these enterprising gentlemen contained
any whatever of the California Mustard, or any
other foul seeds.
l admit the appearance of two KINDS OF rape,
with large quantity of radish seed, in that
brought to the State by myself. The first are
small, round, black seed, called severally the
. Brassca rapa,'' common turnip; tho second,
the :. Brassica napus, navew, or French turnip.
This last wild rape, French turnip seed, is
nearly all oil, producing three gallons TO the
bushel-more than twice much haX seed. The
common turnip and radish both extensively
grown in the East Indies by the natives, for
food. The wild French turnip also. for its rich
oil, and is used in mixing their bread, and ON
their salads and meats.
Some eighteen months ago, DIR. Keil, Of Auro-
ra, Marion county, sent to mill, at Salem,
eighteen bushels of this wild rape, or French tur-
nip seed, grown on his farm, for crushing. Di-
rections given for working it, and the result
52i gallons of pure table oil. Those who ate
at the Larman tables on the Fair grounds, or hap
pen to get good dinner at Dutchtown, on the
road to Portland. will at once acknowledge the
good qualities of this French turnip seed oil.
Both kinds of the turnip, and radish. well as
the fax seed, necessary and valuable crops il
that foreign country and we readily account
for their mixture with the fax seed-just as Gun
wheat is mixed with oats, barley, etc, when We
allow it to be
Last harvest my attention was called to the
fact that California mustard growing among
the flax. 1 asked the gentleman if Calitoraia
mustard had not grown the farm before flas
sown. He promptly admitted that the must
ard had preceded the fax the farm. I take
great pleasure in saying that have rot offered
a single pound of fax seed grown on that farm
to anE man in the State.
There is need of any mans sowing
foul seeds with the fax. Our fan and screens
always on hand for everybody, will clean the seed
perfectly clean. Throw peek of French turniI
seed with one frr seed into these screens, and the
result will be that the fax seed will be saved
and the rest thrown away.
The object of our operations in this respect is
not to injure the good and valuable farms of the
State, but to enrich and benefit them. Oregon
will yet reap millions of dollars for her fax seed
and fiber. HiHan,ette Farmer please copy.
Yours respectfully,