The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1882-08-10
Flax.

SI.t:ee months ago we published an
article upon the growing OF fax for
fiber, and it was and is subject of con-
siderable importance But it receives
but comparatively little attention, for
there is very prevalent disposition to |
shirk the labor necessary to produce an
article that manufacturers can use.
To do this requires greater dogreo OF |
care and tho adoption of more thorough
methods than the majority of the farm |
ers seem willing TO give or adopt Tho
production of seod alone appears to be- |
sufficient TO satisfy tho most of those !
vino grow inc crop. ln tho article wo
published. and to which wo have ro-
tcrrod, it may bo remembered that
mention was mado of tho fact that ut
ono tlme company of eastern capital
lists greeted q flax mill in u section of
tho West in which there was fifty thous-
and acres annually undor flax, but that
the enterprise had to be abandoned.
Now TO ono who is inexperienced, it
would he supposed that such So%tion
would guarantee tho success Of u flax
mill. There was the mill aNd there was
tho b"A. lot tho undertaking WAS u
taHuro, And whyP Because tho farm
Crs of that section would not grow flax
for tho fiber Tho company said tho
fnrmorS would neither pun tho flax,
Keep tho straw straight or treat il as it
deserved that they seemed to ho con-
tHnt tn raise taN for tho seed only, In
thus doing or rather in thus not doing,
the FARMERS 0f this section certainly did
not act in Svc0rNiancC with their own
| lntoN>$l$~ Ono ri the great drawbacks
| To the ECltlVAt(Un OF flax for the siha,r.
! N$ tho want ~ market in many sections
! HE business Ci misunderstanding, which
! S5 ~,nE time s$SNtnOENt cNNSlVfCr;AEeE pro,
eNACSRoN>> has &ScGlNS&. a< i wcll
ACs1NSls, aEGS& a eA&r&S1 for the r1ber IS cn<,s
s2NsX< atDwsSGhNs~ Rns on this In<eancx,
the uas&rked Was hrpnchG tN the yvrv
GsN2T OF Clhs@ 6iaX gr3w1r, aa3 it is ny5sr-
\ X urRSh;H@sGa25aA%e tiG45 At 6i3 un5
tss6H a1Van5aect Vf ID. Iii is g:saIrruaas4i
ailFAu dit% I@p&srd 1u@ Cr,Hw EAx foc rhs,
L 1is"r' uG.@iI dhGs @E& HlrllD3l Q2 aa:re.s he
\ V'3iie'. ti2 utis crpT, M 1hii$ tHCDTrv, slr-
u t:iGat IN RcCcW,c'nTH b2r< Of AI1ntG GwvuTv-
+ GUH UEilA3nrS QE GtlLE1r%, "a <NgI 1S wlLp
hu nhniGGmt, OF $'nlih:iHnG lunrrNrau.,,
rKi iCt6"EG Iti;HHiln ~ aIhs >,star.cd ~ fax
c'rIv'Ir a3r lln fioEr, I'VE Glnus u
canning when W. >Baj- H,af ior <Aa: ci,el
~ :'r!fitc 'Gl,I inHEuNI w:I>GW, ADG 0u 1lne
m'W.1tGgIn. d.ir igrHElr'rtes wbU:h fry-
tIEnC.W INirIt ny liz, III rv4Hrvncr: scl rfax
.c"i'w'nlc fT @UW,!l lrn nroft,t wI1h Iripr-
Iun"nEintc niMr"*G III ltaX cGlGuru and
tluG lrcn.nI's M'r c'tGTiIIy : Gbgm>wIve> in
& tNi l. TuiinW'iV GAiIG Wj <QnG@r }r n4rt,r
/ hHnt, Hlh:Ml, t;tyUla c:WArtS. After 3w hi,e
- 5hjH -rrrnG fertile We:>-. wh h4ra CrurS
! Cr3w 50 luyur3nGLy. with ;s uliuiuuCIl
Qt care an( l3bpc, we shall learn to,
( e|OnOulilg by more Thorough system
in the growing of all crops. Now we
are waStctul. We spread out over to
many acres, and lose the interest upon
the value OF u great deal of our land, in
that we dO not force our farms to Weld
moro. Gradually there is reform
progressing in this direction. 1t is true
the progress is very slow, and thorough
reform will probably rcver be estab-
liShcd, while there is so much land that
we can almost have if we will simply
occupy it, But the American farming
population is too intelligent to permit
reckless waste TO go on, even if there
az" strong temptations to do so, with
on" steadily increasing effort to check
*: md as a part of this effort, the con-
version of flax fiber into value, will
come. If the flax growers of the coln-
try will make it a point to produce fiber
that is fit for the mills, the mills will not
be long wanting.
Flax needs Il good soil and dry one.
II ~ ID nAluIally lncllllci TO ne wet IL Is
= folly to attempt to grow flax upon it.
without first thoroughly draining it.
Usually good wheat soil is good flax
soil. 1t is an cxhausting crop, and the
soil ought to be new to it. The ground
should be thoroughly prepared, and the
sowing done in the spring rs soon as
the soil is reasonably dry and warm.
The quantity Of seed will differ accord
ing TO tho purpose for which the crop is
grown. If the production of seed is the
object, about half or three quarters
of Il hushcl TO the acre can be used; if
the fiber is wanted, about bushcl and
a half. When small quantity of seed
is used, the plants send out large
branches, which will produce many
seed bolls, but the fiber will not be very
good. But when larger quantity of
seed is used, larger number of plants,
of course, are produced, the plants grow
straight and tall, and produce a good
quality of fiber, but not much seed. -
| Western RurnL