The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-01-04
Flax as a Paying Crop

l.# GoBpoNsy1LLE, VA, December o0, loii@s
To the Editor Of the Richmond Dispatch
sir.-I promised in my last to write you
respecting the cultivation of flax, anu l now
beg to forward you copy OF statement 'ss S!1,s
bv me at the time was organizing my river
Platte expedition two years ago. III you eA
anime that statement you will find that at an
average return of sixteen bushels OF seea oiily
nor acre. instead of twcnty-four bushels, Us
crown BY Mr. Estcotirt and Mr.. Brown, :n I,.
humber of acres that might be soWn VIII
fax. for the seed alone, with the cer1ainGy
Of finding a ready sale for it in England,
amounts to 1000. But, sir, is England 1 nss
oT,lv market YOU have to depend upon Dy
no means. Your own seed-Tusmng nlins
would take all that may be grown LOT many
wears to come, and this country WoulG NC
nIroportionately enriched thereby. AuIn
again. sir. to Dir. Estcourt's statement. IN
if YOU will perceive that ne not only
cleared ELS S.. Cd. net pr9nt per acls
lover ninety dollars). but he flrst aeauctea
s. per acre for rent, rates, ana eaAes,
only the last item of which would fall 10
YOUR countrymen to pay. Toucmng the cost
of labor, you may fairly assume tnat IL Mo1liu
ca,,se although the mems labor would
omount TO double what his did, the plough
inc NAV he done for about half. Say, how
over, Won nav the same for it which he did,
II Is only O question of s. per acre after all.
with regard to the prices realized, both fibre
and linsced are worth more money now than
at that time. Touching the freight to Eng
land. I am not we'll posted in this matter, but
I should imagine that about 81 per ton would
cover it and this on an article like fax fibre,
worth from $3.50 to $500 per ton, according
to quality, is of no very great moment. nave
seen flax that was purchased there rs hfSh Us
$3.50 per ton, and one sample was shown me
bv Manchester house of great respecta-
bility (Messrs. Renshaw) that was yalucu Ut
81 900 per ton. Such flax even as tnis
could be produced on your 1ch Dol
tom lands, and would yield fully one-tillrd
of ton per acre. Now, sir, after the manner
in which your southern planters have deVe-
loped the growth of cotton in this country
during the last sixty years, previous to winch
time lin the year 1SOS) only eight bales were
sent to Liverpool, whereas upwards OF 2,5oo,-
900 now 90 there on an average every year.
see no reason why they should not make an
equally successful venture with the flax Dlisl-
ness. It is far easier crop to manage imam
the other, and attended with less risk IN every
way. as it requires less labor, and can be har-
vested as easily as hay or wheat crop, ana l.
herewith publicly challenge the landed pro-
prietors of Virginia to give it trial. Ii they
will do so, and will agree to reimburse me
nv travelling expenses only, / shall be happy
to devote the next two years or so to instruct
ing them how to carry out the undertaking,
leaving it to your Government to make me
suitable remuneration out Of the export dll-
ties which may accrue therefrom, and which
will be clear proof of the success or other
wise that has attended my eXertions. In or
der, however, to make trial the ensuing
season, no time should be lost in procuring
seed, &C., and l shall be happy to meet any
of your readers who may take an interest IN
this subject at Richmond on or about the Sth
of january next Cifthey will write me to that
effect, and organize with them Il plan for try
ing the experiment upon four or five different
plantations to commence with, the result OF
which will be quite sufficient to test the truth
of my assertions !; and remain
Yours, very faithfully,
Z. L. HENLY.
The following is taken from the report OF
a meeting of the Wiltshire Flax Association,
held at Devices some years ago: The Rt.
Hon. r. I'll. Sotheron Estcourt spoke as fol-
lows
What have to say is but short. / last
wear grew two acres of flax on the slope OIL
Bowden Hill The land, which is wet clay
nine inches below the surface, was broken
up three years ago and drained; since which
tile cropping has been potatoes and wheat.
No manure has been put upon it since it was
broken up, when the sods were burnt and
the ashes strewed. My account OF the pro-
duce on these two acres stands thus:
cosr. PRODUCE.