Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1885-02-21
FLAX.
How to Raise It-Some Valuable
Suggestions.

ouS8o6tAOA6s
A large number Of our farmers will
raise fax this season. Since the Pills
bury 4 Hulburt Co. inserted their fax
seed advertisement IL. the LNTER-OcEAN,
Agent Shaw has been besieged with
applications for seed on the terms pro-
posed. Letters have been received on
the subject from the Turtle mountain
and Mouse river, and farmers from all
parts of the county have called and given
their orders. We would not advise
farmers to go into it too heavily. Sow
ten or twenty acres, but don't "put
your aiggs all in one basket" Wheat
will bring good price this year.
A circular just issued gives some val
liable hints on fax culture. The seed
being small it requires fine seed bed.
Therefore prepare the ground we'll be-
fore sowing, making the surface fine
and smooth. If on new breaking, break
deep and harrow the sod we'll to give as
much dirt as possible, without upturn-
ing the sod. One farmer says: Put all
your work on the ground before SOW
ing"
In regard to the amount to SOW per
acre, If old ground and you use the Rus
sian seed, from IL to l6 quarts per acre;
on new breaking from 10 to IL is enough.
II you use the American seed you need
about half more. Most any of the i'm
proved seeders having guage regulat-
tnv tho a,nonut to oou will <lo Got ~ -
teeth very light, and some think it better
to leave them off entirely and harrow
over once after sowing with light har-
row or drag made Of brush or barbed
wire, us it needs but light covering.
When most of the bolls and lower parts
of the stalks have turned yellow and the
seed slightly brown it is ready to har-
vest. At this stage 1t will cut as easily
as wheat. Be careful not to cut before
ripe. Cnripe seed cannot be properly
filled out and must fall short in weight.
Use smooth knife in your reaper with
sharp edge and quick motion. If the
self binder is used, bind light; many
prefer not to bind, US it saves expense OF
twine, and the machine throws it off in a
| well compacted form. Some use the
self rake, and then gather up tho gavels,
set up and twist the top together, like
buckwheat. 1t has been known to stand
thus through long rain without mate
rial damage. But In any case set up, rs
it dries better, and if rain comes it runs
through and soon dries out. But we ad :
wise stacking as soor as possible after
cutting, as it usually dries out in one
day. Top out with prairie hay. Most
any of the vibrating machines with flax
seed attachment are good.
1t Is the best preparation for a wheat
crop, insuring from three to six bushels
more per acre following flax" than
when in succession. The same is true
of oats or barley, and thus affords good
relief from the lone crop" system. If
the crop is properly stacked and secured
from rain the straw and chaff are eagerly
eaten by stock, and worth as much as
ordinary hay.
While the above applies to the Ameri-
can seed, sown in any Of our western
states and territories, the large Russian
seed is especially adapted to the north
west, enabling the farmer to SOW late,
even after all other small grain is sown,
and harvest after all other small grain is
secured; requiring only 10 to l6 quarts Of
seed for an acre, and often yielding from
twelve to eighteen bushels per acre on
new breaking, leaving the ground in
much better condition for wheat the
next spring than 1t otherwise would be.
1t has been sown on new breaking in
western Minnesota and Dakota as late
as July 10th and returned fifteen bushels
per acre.
Farmers who will SOW fax this year
should cut out these instructions and
paste them up whore they may he con-
suited at all times.