The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-10-27

Flax is not extensively cultivated in the
United States 1t can be made profitable CROP
however, owing to the high prices obtained for
the Seed while the fibre may also be made a
matter of profit Those who grow flax claim
that it is easy of cultivation and subject to but
few obstacles, while the crop may be sown and
harvested within three months. 1t grows best
on mellow soil one that is not too wet or too
sandy, but will grow on any soil that produces
wheat, corn, oats or potatoes. In preparing the
soil it should be well plowed. and narrowed till
fine and level. The best fertilizer is wood ashes
potash salts. About three pecks Of seed are
required for an acre, and the yield usually aver
ages fifteen bushels the market price ranging
from 81 80 to 81 per bushel, according to demand.
In putting down a crop of flax great care
should be exercised in selecting good sound seed,
that is perfectly free from the seeds of weeds,
OF there will be trouble when the crop is ma
tured, the seeds of weeds not being as easily
separated from fax seed as from wheat or oats,
and it Is best to secure European grown seed if
possible. The crop should be sown as early in
the spring The land will permit. but slight
early frosts are not injurious. If the crop is cul-
tivated for the fibre, two bushels of seed should
be used. If grown for seed, three pecks are suf-
fcient, while if cultivated for both fibre and
seed, one bushe will answer The crop is cut
when the lower leaves of the plant begin to wilt
and drop off, the stalks then beginning
to turn TO light yellow, and the seed
balls slightly brown scythe any kind
of reaper may be used for cutting the
stalks being bound in bundles and stacked for
thrashlng. With our ordinary thrashers the
fibre is injured, but it answers for such purposes
as making baggng. upholstery tow, Irvine, etc,
its value ranging from So to So per ton though,
if properly prepared, with delivery at linen fac
tories the fibre sells for about $25 per ton. The
former treatmentof flax to rot it in order to
separate the fibre, but invention enables
the grower TO market the entire stalk. provided
it is not broken as factories can in few hours
do the entire work which usually required many
days, chemical process enabling the manufact-
urer to shake from the fibre all unavailable ma
terial.
Leaving out the value of the fibre entirely, fax
is a better crop than wheat, for the yield of seed
is nearly the as that of wheat, while the
value is nearly double. 1t is considered a very
sure crop and grows in so short period of time
to allow of crop OF turnips following it. An
will produce two tons of straw, which can
be sold even in its inferior condition, for more
than the cost of the labor. A bushel of seed
will produce two gallons of OIL and the refuse is
the celebrated oil cake, now universally used for
feeding. The crop is no more exhaustlng TO the
soil than one of wheat or oats.
We bring up the subject of fax because late
improvements enable the farmer to grow the
straw, provided the seed is separated without in
juring the straw This enables the crop to be
placed among our standards. to assist in the reg
ular rotation Considering that its fibre, refuse
straw, seeds and oil are all salabe, it equals the
cotton crop for its various purposes, with the
advantage of being grown easier than cotton,
and in a much shorter time, not emitting the
fact also, that it can be grown in many sections
where cotton could not exist. In proportion to
cost of production, it can be made more profit
able than any of the field crops now grown