The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1891-01-10
Flax Fiber And Seed.

Flax Fiber And Seed.
Many if not all of our western farmers
can grow fax for fiber as we'll as for seed
by adopting the methods generally in use
in other fax growing countries.
The following valuable hints about the
culture of fax for fiber and seed, is copied
from the Great Northern Railway Bulletin,
a monthly publication full of good things
concerning the Northwest, as condensed
from a letter on the subject written by w.
d. Hall, secretary of the Minneapolis
board of trade:
"Sow one and one-half bushels of Bel
gian seed per acre and when the straw be-
gins to turn yellow and the foliage within
six inches of the ground is dropping, pull
or cut close to the ground at once. At this
stage the seed in the bolls is changing to a
dark green or brownish tinge. Tie the
straw in small bundles and stand on end
to winnow. When quite hard and dry put
in stack. There is a larger and better
yield of fiber when the straw Is kept until
the year following its growth. If fiber is
required at once the seed can be rippled
and straw stepped in soft water, that is,
rain water, or, if this is not attainable, in
pits of water in which vegetable matter
grows, and which has been exposed to the
suns rays for a period of five or six
weeks. The straw should be protected
from the earth at the sides Of the retting
pits place the straw in layers until the pit
is quite full; stones, OF planks of wood
with stones on top to keep the straw en-
tirely under the water, are laid upon the
top layer Of fax or straw. II the temper
allure of the water is 80 deg. Fahrenheit
or upwards, about six days will be sufd-
Gent to rot the straw. From the fifth day
examine a few straws, at different parts OF
of tile pit several times daily, and when
the fiber pulls readily and entirely OF the
woody core it is time to remove from tho
pits. Stand tho sheaves OF end to dry;
pull the band or tying on each sheaf close
to the top and spread out the root ends SO
as to expose to the Jun and wind. When
perfectly dry stack a few weeks. This i'm
proves and mellOws OF brings nature or
a soft silky feeling to the fiber. 1t is o
ready for the machine.
"Practice and time are necessary to be-
come proficient in this bralcl { + husband
ry. Until you have learned by experience
to handle the fax straw 80 as to realize
the best results, I would advise you not to
invest money OF credit in any machinery,
but do what you can by hand and with
your own labor during the winter months.
l will soon have samples Of machines that
every farmer IA make for himself at a
cost not to exceed 81 and with which no
usay himself, during the winter months,
work out the fiber of from one to six acres
of lux straw, that will bring from 800 to
$500. Experience will soon enable you to
produce as good fiber as is produced in
Ireland or any other country and I can
promise you a cash market in Minneapo-
Lis for all the fiber you can produce.
The following statement will show you
what one man has done and does every
year: Nj. E. Bosse, of Green Bay, Wis. i'll
a recent communication to the National
Department of Agriculture, relates the f u
lowing interesting experience: 1.-THE six
acres of flax grown on my farm last YER,
aud referred to in The Gazette, of Green
Bay, Feb. 8, was sown May 1, 1889, with
one and one-half bushels per acre of Bel
gian seed (Which I consider the very best
for this country I pulled it by hand a
little before ripe; let it dry standing on the
ground for eight days; then bound it with
rye straw, and sheltered. I thrashed it by
hand and spread it on land already har-
vested, and let it by dews and rains; then
stacked it in the barn again, but bound
this time with its own straw. I scutched
it by the old system (breaker and knives,
still the best in use when the work is done
by skilled scutchers.) The soil is a black
loan mixed with black sand about ten
inches deep, with red clay for subsoil.
The result was as follows:
Slowed 8 bushels Belgian seed, at
$3.50 per bushel ................$13 SO
Pulling by hand. 50 50
Binding and sheltering .......... 500
Thrashing by hand. ............ 20 IS
Retting on the ground. 10 40
Scutching 100 50
Shipping 10 90
Freight to Boston about .......... 80 90
Total expense. 1881 81
Produce:
60 bushels seed, valued at
w W
600 pounds tow. 2 cents
per pound. ........... II 90
8,718 pounds fiber, at IL
cents per pound. 8s offered