The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1889-05-18
IMPORTANT TO FARMERS.


"What Shall Take the Place OF wheat on
Farms Where IL Can No Longer be Raised
ut n Proht?"
WASHINGTON, May y One of the
most important economic questions OF the
time is What shall take the place OF
wheat on farms where it can no longer be
raised at a profit This question is one
that has received ear lest consideration a.
the Agricultural Department, but as yet
no product has been presented that fully
commends itself to the officials as fur
nishing the answer, although many have
been suggested. Last week Professor
Willetts the Assistant Secretary of Agri
culture, had under consideration letter
from Ireland, which, he thinks, may OF
fer a solution of the problem, if the state
ments made in it can be substantiated.
The writer SAYS: Il have long had a verv
earnest in flax growing and linen manu-
facture, aud now address you in behalf of
these industries | have been familiar
with flax growing in America since 1910,
aud am thoroughly informed OF the
household manufacture, and later the ct
forts to spin and weave linen by machin
cry, and the almost complete failure OF
all efforts in this direction, until now
there are only two establishments weav
ing-one at Webster, Mass, and the other
at Appleton, Wisconsin, the latter doing
but little, and neither weaving anything
finer than crash. Besides these there are
thread and yarn mills, mostly branches
of British manufactures and the Irvine
and cordage mills.
"a part of the reason why linen is not
made in America is, that the raw mater
ial is not as flexible and requires more
and more costly manipulation and much
more labor than with cotton, wool and
silk. Another reason is, that when, i'll
1861, Congress enacted tariff laws, there
was no association to set forth the linen
interest, and the duty was left too low to
correspond with the high duty on the raw
material, while, with low duty upon
cotton, WOODEN and silks, capital turned
to the latter as the safest investment, and
flax and linen have been neglected
(There can be no raw flax industry until
there is market for the tbre.)
There is nothing IN the climate or soil
conflicting with the assertion that just as
good flax and linen may be produced in
every State in the American Union as in
any country. Germany now spins and
weaves the finest linen and she has no
essentially differing climate from Amer
lea.
IF the inducement of protective du-
ties cannot be given in favor of linen
Manufacture then bounties must be offer
ed in shape Of the appropriation of the
present income from duties to encourage
the making OF linen from American flax
fibre. At least such an experiment must
be made as will test and demonstrate the
practicability or Impractical bllity of es-
tablshing this important industry upon
American soil.
MANY things become successful in
America from the facility with which the
people take up and adopt improved pro-
cesses and appliances, and this may be
the salvation of the linen industry of the
Importance of which there is no question.
There is every reason why the American
farmers should produce Il million acres of
flax for both seed and fibre, over and
above what is now produced, which would
give 1900, 900 to $4,000 600 bushels OF
seed, worth as many millions of dollars,
and two millions and half tons of flax
straw, worth $50, 900, 900, and from which
500, 600 tons OF flax fibre would be OBJ
tanned, worth 800, 900.
"Once established, American invention
would, as in all other industries, soon
build up an industry to consume this raw
material Further than this | have to
say that | believe an entire revolution in
flax and linen for the whole world is at
hand and most assuredly awaiting the
operations of the next few months to de-
moustrate this in America. l have dis
covered process 10y which the tlas straw
is handled, and it's fibre recovered in a
! length of time of but five minutes from
the dry natural straw to the perfect fibre,
doing away with all water or dew retting
and the labor of scutching, and produc-
ing fibre of the color OF cotton and as
soft and fine as raw silk, saving the great
expense of the bleaching, while the fibre
is much stronger and the yield much
greater than by the old processes OF dew
and water rettlng.
81 have demonstrated the practicability
of this invention, have made the fibre
from American, Irish and Belgian flax
straw, had it spun and woven, and there
is an exhibit OF the American product at
the Paris Exposition, placed there by
Mr.. Dodge, OF the Department OF Agrl
culture at Washington, last January, aud
this invention bias the Endorsement OF til ,
linen men of England, a company has
here. aud the process will be at work ali
over Europe at an early day.
Il make this announcement to you ami
to the people of America simply that d
few acres OF fax may be- in the proper
way in America, preparatory to practl
cal demonstration o. the process there
next autumn. wish the State expert
mental farms to grow small amount i'll
oh al, tnr
are disposed to do the same. the flax
should be sown upon any good mellow
soil, which has been we'll mauured the
past year. or active chemical fertilizers
may be employed to a reasonable extent.
The seed should be sown at the rate OF
two and a half bushels on an acre of land,
brushed in, and no further attention is
needed excepting that any large weeds
may be removed until the flax has turned
for half its length. when it should be
pulled. cured and cared for to keep it
bright, in the same manner dis is done
with hay.
1.-THE seed may be taken off by Iippline
or by roller thresbing. and thelc will be
a market for all flax straw thus grown at
$50 per ton. The crop should give two
and half tons of straw to an acre
and IL to Is bushels of seed. The cost OF
pulling is, in Canada, S. an acre. | en-
close you a small sample of the fibre as
produced in five minutes by the new pro
cess from the flax straw taken in its
natural condition. and no injurious chem
lcals are used, nothing more SO than an
emulsion of linseed OIL"
The sample enclosed was examined
with much interest by Professor Willetts,
who, in his earlier days. had ''hackled"
fax, and it was so satisfactory that he
informed the sender that the subject of
his letter would be earnestly considered
by the department. which would lend its
aid to any effort to increase OF diversity
the agricultural industries of the country.
ALLEN THORNDIKE RICE DEAD.
Taken Fatally Ill As He Was About Srart-