Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1874-06-20

How TO RAISE FLAx.-At the last session
of the Farmers Club, the suggestions and
directions concerning fax embraced almost
everything except what is absolutely neces
sary for Il tiller of the soil to know before
he can raise crop Of fl,x in Il satisfactory
manner These indispensable requisites it
is proposed to supply. This will be tho
apology for giving brief directions for rails
ing flax with satisfactory profit.
1t i of eminent importance that a flax
grower should understand beforehand what
is to be done, how it should be performed
and what should Ire avoided. in the manage
mcnt and preparation of the soil When
flax is raised for the fibre chiefly nothing
but flax should be allowed to occupy the
ground. Hence, grass, weeds and other
crops growing among flax mast be avoided.
\ smooth and even surface Of the ground
where tlIX grows, is Of great Importance
when harvesting the crop. llencs, clodS,
sod, tu~>ockS OF @raSS half dccaycd. and
numerous holows should hc avoided The
seed should b. of prime and uniform quality
and be put into the soil at Il shallow and
uniform depth, 50 that there may be satis-
factory uniformity in the length of the
stems. When part Of the seed is barely
covered another portion is buried by the
feet of heavy team several inche, deep, the
tlax will be of unequal height and will not
mature uniformly. Hence teams should
Ill L
ilaxSccd has been Sow,l, unless the surface
be 50 compact that the seed will not be bur
led more than one inch in depth. The seed
must be sowcd with uniform cvenncsS or
the fibre will be of variable quality The
foregoing are the chief essentials. Now
then, the al-lmportant question is. how to
do the work The cultiyator has been told
what to do times without number. But
how to do it is Il part Of flax raising which
has never seemed to be worthy of the notice
of writer's on flax culture.
Most writers have told us to choose rich,
loamy soil for flax. But when farmer has
not II square rod of loan on his entirr farm
such counsel will tend to bcwilderment.
Flax can be raised on any soil where fair
crops Of the ccrcria. rcd clover and grass
will grow. The primary dc>icratum is II
mellow and smooth seed bed This must
be prepared with agricultural skill. 1t will
never do "to hog over II trld in the cut
and-co,cr style Of ploughing. If the seed
is to be >owcd on sod ground it must be
plonshcd in a neat smooth and plpughman-
like manner. Thea ths surface should be
rolled to press the lurrow slices down evenly,
after which it should he narrowed two,
three or tour times, or until there is depth
Of two or three inches of mellow soil The
seed may then b. sOwed and covered with u
brush harrow, drawn by one or two men.
If the ground is heavy and disposed to b,
lumpy, let it be ploushcd in late autumn,
50 that every clod will be reduced to Il mel
low condition before spring. When the
land is sufficiently dry to be worked in the
spring let it be narrowed smoothly, rolled,
ii at all lumpy, the seed Sowcd and covered
with Il brush harrow. Let the surface Of
the field be made a smooth and mellow aS IL
carrot bed before the ilaxScctl is put in.
Then, if pushed in, the crop will he of u
uniform growth, and will yield much more
of both seed and fibre per acre.