Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1884-05-08
A talk About Flax.
Prairie Farmer.

A Talk About Flax.
Prairie Farmer
There Is no country where fax can be
grown so cheaply as in the Western
States. The Illinois State Board reports
the expense OF growing the crops as vary
ing from six to thirteen dollars per acre.
This includes the use of the land, cost Of
blowing, narrowing, sowing, seeding, cut
ting, stacking, threshing, and marketing.
The variation in the estimate is due
principally to difference in the rental
OF land, and in the price of labor.
In 1881 the Department of Agriculture
estimated the acreage to flax IN nine
Western States, beginning with Ohio, at
about 900 acres. We have not at
hand the estimated acreage of last year,
but presume there was little or no in
crease, from the fact that farmers in many
localities, especially where theremunera-
tive dairy has been introduced, have
abandoned the growing of a crop that
had come to yield but a few bushels Of
seed per acre, and whose straw had no
market value for fibre and fodder. The
causes of non-productiveness are not hid
den in the least. The seed has simply
"run out" and the crop was not grown
In a proper rotation, so that flax fields
had been robbed of the food most need
ed by the plant.
But even had the quality of seed been
double what it came to be IN, say, the
dairy district tributary to the Elgin mar
ket, fax for the seed alone could not
compete with the dairy, and it would
hardly have done so had there been ma
chinery for working up the fibre in every
village. Still, where such specialties as
dairying are not introduced and where
farmers can grow fax for the seed, and
make fair profit, this crop might be
made doubly valuable if the fibre could
be utilized. This is the great need of in
dustry, and the wonder is that capital does
not seek this avenue of investment. The
demand for articles made from fax fibre
is always large. In addition to what we
make up into the cOarser materials, such
as Irvine, thread, bagging, and the like
this country imports linen goods from
Europe to the amount of nearly $25, 0O0,
600 per annum. Taking into account the
fact that we can grow as good fax as any
country in the world, and do it at half
the cost that it takes to produce it in the
old world, this stands out as one Of the
most remarkable cases of Indifference to
money making on the part of American
capitalists of which we have knowledge.
We have before us a note from the Sec
rotary of one of the largest agricultural
machinery manufacturing concerns in
the country, asking that The Prairie Far
n1er give its readers a ringing editorial
on the subject of fax culture" AS we
have seen the same request in several Of
our exchanges it is evident that this con-
Germ has some interest in a revival of the
flax industry. Possibly it is mainly to
increase the sale of threshing machines,
and that is all right; it shows enterprise
and business foresight. The manufact-
urers of self binders using Irvine instead
of wire also have considerable interest
in an increased fax product. The cost of
Irvine is no small item in this business
of tying up the billions of bundles of
grain in the Northwest. And we have
to suggest to these strong concerns that
are making threshing machinery, en-
gines, and reapers that they seek out a
few favorable localities, and expend a
small amount of money in putting up ma
chinery to work up the straw which far
mers will readily growth they can be as
sured of q permanent market for it,
while at the same time they can pay
more than the expense of the crop by
the sale of the seed. By doing this they
can do more toward developing this in
dustry than all the agricultural papers in
America can do by simply urging farmers
to grow fax for which there is no salty
in promising market. The fibre in a
IOuSll SIdIG CSi11 NC S111p pCO W ASll 20 I11llO
for being worked into fabrics. Linen
factories will spring up if constant sup
ply can be depended upon.
We do not believe that for series of
years farmers can make great money by
growing flax for the seed alone We can
hardly be expected to argue that it pays
in the long run to grow any crop that eX-
hausts land, and never returns anything
to make the loss good. To be remunera-
tive for a series of years the crop of seed
should bring price that will enable the
grower to purchase the manure which is
needed to keep up the fertility. Judicl-
Gus rotation would help materially, of
course, but the average yield of flax seed
per acre Of late years gives little promise
of profit unless supplemented by sale
of the fibre.
Flax is easily grown. The main things
are to choose ground as free as possible
from weeds, to prepare it thoroughly for
the seed-bed, and to procure clean, fresh
plump seed. The land must be we'll
drained, and sandy loan is preferable;
a clay subsoil will answer ifthere is good,
dry loan above. Clay soils are too COM
pact. Harrow and roll before sowing so
as to have a smooth surface. If for seed
alone three pecks of seed per acre is am
pie; if for both seed and fibre a bushel is
none too much. The seed should be COW
cred with about an inch of dirt. Sow
when the soil is well warmed up and in
good condition for working.
BOOms of Other Days.
Boston Transcript.
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"The Presidential boom" is only a new