The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1894-03-04
ARCADIA IN TEXAS,
ANOTHER CHAPTER ON THE Gan
DEN SPOT OF THE WORLD.
To Be Independent, a Country Must Pro-
duce tho Food It oonsumes and its
Clothing Importance OF the
Flax Industry to Texas.

/ as II worketh for them, they in IT,"
We frequently read that Texas is an
empire of itself. True,-but undeveloped
and dependent. No country can be re-
garded as Independent until It produces
not only all the food It consumes, but
also all the clothing. as well as the ma
terlals for the same. SO far as cotton
and wool are concerned, we produce
enough for an empire, but we manufac-
| ture 1t not We are too young to do H.
| We are, there, as yet only In our baby
hood. AS far as FAX and the fabrics
made from 1t are conceTnedw know moth
ing about 1t. In the growth OF sugar
| cane and the manufacture OF sugar we
are prospering. In the manufacture OF
| oil from cotton seed we are also pros
pering. Our lumber manufactures are
going forward and forward. Our rice
and tobacco fields are increasing In size,
and there IS no reason why we should
not now turn our attention to the growth
of fax and similar ibers, and 10 the
manufacture OF linseed oil Gentlemen
inform me that they are ready to es-
tabiish factories here just as soon as
they are assured OF a supply OF the RAY
material. ana the farmers who are now
settling in this section, and who have
been hitherto familiar with its growth.
sc. IeSaS really
PETER adapted for It's growth than the
Northwest. This is easily accounted for.
" ~ native OF Eastern countries, be-
ing mentioned in the Bible as one OF the
crops Of Egypt even when pbaroah was
King. II seems to be fond OF ii low coun-
Wy and moist atmosphere. Its cutiva-
ton being carried to the greatest perfec-
ton in the low countries or Belgium and
ireland. There are millions OF acres of
just such country IN South Texas. east
and west of the Colorado river. that are
producing nothing but poor grass, which,
y spwed with 1iax IN February, would |
perfect a crop by May This irnd can
could be plowed, narrowed. sowed. and
reaped, in exactly the same fashion that
the great wheat fields are conducted, II |
the flax Is TO be grown for the seed alone |
The seed contains q large emount OF
OIL and the plant Is therefore often cui- |
tiyated for thlg product alone BY cold
per cent OF oil, and BY the aid OF heat |
about "a per cent Is obtained. Tho seeds I
are usually roasted before they are
and II Is much freer from mucilage than |
THAT obtained by pressing the seed with i
out heat The most powerful hydraulic |
presses are used in expressing the oil /
from fax seed, and the product, linseed |
oil Is largely employed In painting When
and finally dries into hard transparent |
yarntsh. This drying property which /
adapts 1t to Its use in painting is due
10 the absorption OF oxygen from the
air, and its tendency to do this is much |
increased by boiling It with litiar;,e and |
other substances The oil fust as it
merce as raw oil, while the other Is
called boiled Oil The cake left in the
press after the. oil has been extracted
= known as oil cake, and is splendid T
food for cattle. 1t is therefore appar-
ent that the introduction OF this crop I
into South Texas would be OF four-fold
ADVANTAGE even grown for the seed alone
Firstly. it would give profitable employ
mert 30 the farmer, as the crop OF flax
crop OF wheat and the fiaxseed is worth
twice the price of wheat; secondly, it
would furnish profitable employment to
the oil manufacturer. thirdly, this in
turn would give profitable employment
to the painter, and IL Is plainly apparent
that Southern buildings, as general
fourthly, the poor starving cattle would
have another source from whence their \.
lives could be sustained through the
winter. both by the use OF oil cake and
straw. The straw could be bnled, and
cow sheds on the prairies could be built
and matched herewith In India crops
OF fax are grown for the seed during the
winter months. and In those sections Of
South Texas where autumnal rains fell,
as for example In Liberty county or
where irrigation can be applied as for
example, In Harris county, a crop of
tax can readily be grown by sowing
In September ana reaping ~ December.
acre where grown for the seed alone, Is
one-half bushel So much therefore for
FLAX FOR FIBRE.
II IS however the fiber wl.cn gives the
lax plant It's greatest value. a stem OF
She plant being cut across, we find the (
center occupied by pith, outside Of this IS
q layer OF ordinary woody hbers, then
The lihcr, or inner bark. which consists
Of very long and remarkably tough nbers;
ana outside of all an outer bark, covered /
By skin or cpidermis The object of
~ the processes OF rotting, breaking
5cutehln6, etc, i % separate me npers
lthet portion. Che ltber Of lax Is very !
cough and has sufficient equality OF sur :
.ace 70 adapt u 70 spinning Being y !
GOOD conductor Of heat. compared with T
cotton, wool, or SILK linen clothing is very a
pleasing Ia hot weather. When max Is i
crown for the seed alone. the land does
necessary when grown for the hber
md good grain lard, that Is land that has 2
Nill g!ye Il fair crop IL the nber Is to =
Ie saved as well az the seed the fiax 2
? harvested when the stem has lost It's I
srefn color for two. Thirds OF its length. \
ma made into small bundles. The ton.
y seed bearing portion. IS cut on with e
my cutter. having a single lever knife, y
~ stalks arc rotted In the usual manner. =
ithar ~ STEPPING or by dew-rotting. This y
ali done 5y tho farmer without any nn- I,
rst uses OF this fiber 10 she South would &
2 me manufactures Of binding twines easi n
ose the land ana met meti,oas 81 f', epl pi
a. a + \
eeg not be such as are demanded 10 y
reduce the finest fiber, such a IS required N
or Unread and linen, as q coarse material n.
liil answer for binding twlne. Therefore II
ipen max Is sowed for the seed and for N
oarse fax or tow, q hushal OF seed 81 All
owed 10 the acre. Being sowed thicker, IN
snuces the number OF branches and h
,Akes me main stem longer This variety 81
max ~ also cnt by the moving machine HI
parse tow. consists OF The entire fber az
lax and 4 pressed into bales OF 400 III
ounqs or 80. and ~ sold 10 the large m
tlcs ror various purposes, such us stuff 1f
" me eusnings and hicks OF carriages, dc
nu household furniture. ana for making N
,pe and twine. IN
! nere Is machine which takes the ey
ems q nax and breaks. scutches and ~
leparea This tosr for use 10y, Y,
y mere max Is grown Tor the very finest vi
less, Two % two and one-half bushels or
stfn hfe soHu. We VIII Mt nresent | ~
Mine ourselves 70 the double purpose ~ y,
Z, n,i '1e AeH Tor seed aud for tow. IS "
,ifi, .l ons nushel Of seed 10 the acre, Oh %
Win me dlsc harrow Tho enriIai -