The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-05-08

Is full Of instructive figures. The COM
mon fax, says the writer, is a native o.
Egypt or possibly the elevated planes Of
central Asia, but though no doubt ma
tive Of warm climates, the fibre attain
lis greatest tineness and perfection in
temperate regions the seeds being richer
in the tropics. Flax is more extensive
ly and more successfully cultivated in
Belgium than In any other European
country, particularly In the East and West
Flanders, In which the most beautiful
llaI in Europe Is produced, being en-
ployed for the manufacture Of the ia
nous Brussels lace, and sold for this
purpose at $500 to 5000 per ton. I'm.
mense quantities OF IN inferior product
are also raised and exported from Rus
ala, especially from the countries border.
log on the Baltic. The cultivation Of
fax was introduced into ireland from
the Low Countries before the close Of the
seventeenth century. Flax has been
cultivated from time immemorial as 4
Winter crop In India, but only for its
seed and not at all for its fibre.
The estimated production OF fax In
Russia in 1868 was $4,000 tons, in 1869
SOC. 900 tons. In Holland there were in
1869 GO, 272 statute acres under fax, pro-
ducing 1921 tons in 1870 60,620 acres,
producing 8,9lS tons. In Belgium, there
were at the latest official census IA, 6l2
acres under fax, producing 29,5S2 tons.
In Prussia, in 1870, throughout the
eight old provinces, $4,000 acaes were
under fax, while in Austria there were
In 1871 25S,730 acres under fax, pro-
ducing 44,523 tons. In Hungary, the
yield was IS, $50 tons. The average acre
age appropriated to the growth Of lax
ia France is l60,550 statute acres,
and about $4,000 acres are sown
with fax in Egypt every year
The entire produce In Ireland has
never exceeded 64,506 tons 1854, and
| Il has sunk so low as 1929 tons lin
1871. The acreage under fax in Ire
land In 1854 was 30l ,69S, in 1858 zoe, 446
and in 1871 156,sS3. The acreage under
fax, however, is not always an accurate
guide to the produce, since 10 1871 1885,,
ss9 acres produced only 1852 tons Of
fax, while in 1872 l22,003 acres produced
Is, 900 tons. In 1872 there were l4,Oll
acres under fax in England, 81 IN
Wales, and 1909 in Scotland; In 1870
the United States produced 1857 tons
Of fax, Of which quantity the State oil
Ohio alone raised $40 tons. Thirty.two
States produce fax In large or small
quantities. g..
The important interest Of fax culture
seems TO have been much neglected In
this country, and when 1t is considered
that not less than $50, 74l ,95l in gold was
paid into the Golfers Of foreign nations
In 1872 for imported flax, jute and hemp
and their products. which might have
been grown on our own farms or ma
nipulated In our own factories, Il be-
comes serious question for the political
economist as we'll rs for the American
farmer. Yet Notwithstanding the fitness
Of our soil and climate for the growth Of
ibrous plants, and the constantly 10
creasing demand for these products, nc
advantage 10 taken Of the inducements
10 add TO the wealth OF the country BY
means OF such crops. This industry
would seem TO be one Of sufficient ma
tural importance 10 warrant our govern
| ment IN investigating and encouraging
its successful prosecution.
The English parliament in the earlier
part Of the present century, gave an an
nual grant Of nearly $50, 900 to encourage
the growth OF fax In ireland. Some
time after this grant ceased, the RoyaI
Dublin Society and the Royal Agri'
cultural Society Of Ireland made q sub
pequent grant, and under royal patron
age the aax and linen industry OF Ire
land has assumed gigantic proportions
The consumption Of fax in the Irish
linen manufacture exceeds 100,0U0 tom
per annum. As long ago as 1852 the tia1
factories OF England employed 20SOt
hands, oiscotland 49, 500. Of ireland 49,
625, while the number Of spindles In Eng
land was 344, 305, In Scotland 29, $50, anc
| In Ireland 692,9sl. The conversion o.
raw fax into any other fabric than bagg
| ing rope and other coarse product Is no
an industry Of large Importance In Till
country. According to the census O
| 1870 tie amount Of FAX used in the man
uiacture Of bsgging was 1872 tons, whit
In the same year 1927 tons Of raw ha1
were imported. Flax Is now cultivated
| in this country largely for the seed, ant
its futher Development as = crop, and u
utilization as 4 textile fabric present.
4 wide and remuneratiye field for Amer
| lean industry and invention.