The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-10-01
NEW LIFE IN FIAN GROWING.
Reviving Demand fer the Straw and
Seed.


RevivinG Demand for the straw and
Seed.
New York Tribune
II is now several years since II was fully
demonstrated in this country that the tex
tile fibre known as fbrelia could be man
ufaetured successfully from fax straw
and. although the predictions that II
would be generally used as a substitute for
cotton may not have been entirely fol
filed. IL is used 10 a considerable extent
with goods made Of wool and cotton The
attention called 20 the new fibre gave an
incentive TO fax growing however which
has resulted In r much larger acreage OF
this crop than ever before Many farms
that were abandoned in New England. or
in former days raised fax for spinning
were planted with this crop. and the gem
eral output last year was enormous THE
real extent 10 which flbrelia is used In the
manufacture Of goods can be gathered
partly from the fact that in 1870 over 1o0o.-
0a acres Of fax straw were burned IN tho
fields after the seed had been gathered
while today little. IL any. such straw Is
thus destroyed.
Flax-growing IS now reviving. but u is
not by any means q new industry IN this
country. az some NAV suppose. II ia
really one Of the oldest crops. and IN New
England IL formed the staple article ~
clothing for a quarter Of century or
more. The old spinning wheels. fax
brakes and hatchels have all been relegat-
81 10 the attic. but new machinery prom
Uses so bring the old product into general
use again. Flax growing was formerly
abandoned in New England when the COT
ton crop in the South became so large
that cotton goods were sold TO the farm
ers much cheaper than they could make
them ont Of fax. The crop was exhaust
inE 70 the soil. and The growers soon dis
covered that 81 WIS economy 70 raise corn
and other products. and huy the Carolina
cotton goods or European linen.
For = considers bic period after the IN
PRODUCTION ~ cotton goods fax fell into
general neglect as a farm product. and the
old fax ponds. or FAX brooks where tire
farmers rotted the straw NJ the parish.
were aha ndoned Then came another period
when the demand for haxSeed oil and hn-
seed meal sHnsde from naxseedi made &c
profitable fer farmers TO raise flax again
on their II rms. But tne industry never re-
-efye1 much notice IN New England. where
tne price n VIRGIN soil was high. b1l ia
the western states large screages we're de-
voted 70 the crop. There rich. virgin soii
>ould 20 had for 4 email sum and one
crop was cons 5ered 80 good - another 50
fsr a. exhausflng tire land Nas concerned
F1ax-erowng has consequently been car
riea on ever since Ia the West upon newly
broken sod r. has beer raised Tor IS seed.
or FOR Jonz-etarle fiber F0r Tire latter or
jet IL has % ~ p'ille1 before ne see1s
are rspe and a double profit cannot ~ re
allied from e In Consequence. But when
ras<ad for 1hrslis the fax Is allowed
-ipen 80 serd. 50 THAI tae straw and Scea
both bring IN a fair profit 20 the growers.
in fhA West the fhxseea - sGwn broad
cast FOR the ftser At the Fste Of two BUSH
els 70 the acre and ali the cultivation given
- Il - that required 10 keep down tae
weeds untIl The leaves shade the ground.
The plants are allowed 10 ripen their seeds
and chen the straw IL pulled and put up ia
small bundles for drying The seeds are
fhrsshesg oat A good deal az al ordinary
farmer would thrash has cats oE wheat,