The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-04-15
FLAX IN WESTERN WASHINGTON.
Letter From Special Agent thornton,
of the Department of Agriculture


of the Department of Agriculture
whatcom, April -SpeciaI.-Charies
Richards Dodge, special agent for flax
culture of the agricultural department.
has appointed DIR. A. W. Thornton, or
West Ferndale, this county. TO conduct
some experiments in fibre raising IN TINS
section this year and report he results
TO him The doctor has already spent
much time and labor in making haA flbfe
experiments in a small way at his home
near Ferndale. and he seems 10 nave con-
WINGED himself that the soil and climate
of Western Washington are wonderfully
well adapted to the raising of The finest
quality of fibre for linen manufactures.
Samples OF fibre produced ana prepared
under mis- direction have been tested oy
the agricultural department aud also in
the chief centers of the lax industry
In Europe with such gratifying results
that the department has authorized Dr
Thornton to make experiments this year
upon five acres, and has made small
appropriation for that purpose The doc
tor called at the Post-Intelligencer bureau
yesterday and wrote the following inter-
esting communication on the subject:
s'T note in a recent issue of the Post
InteIigencer a practical and sensible ar
ticie on fax cultivation. but as that arti-
Gle was written evidently from an east
of the mountain standpoint | would sup
pIpneNt
a Puget Sound and Western Washington
point OF view The culture of flax may
be carried out on three DISTINCT lines of
practice, all differing materially accord
ing to the result required. First, grow
ing for seed only. regardless OF. the more,
a system adapted TO dry, hot climates,
where only 1t is necessary to sow about
three pecks or forty-fve pounds per acre.
where a yield of anything from ten TO
twenty bushels per acre may be looked
for with straw OF no commercial value.
The second system consists of growing
for seed principally, and at the same
time securing a coarse grade OF more
of some commercial value Tor coarse
craslrs and such grades. this system be-
ing an Improvement upon the first, and Is
hest secured by sowing at the rate of IL
bushels per acre This system Is best
adapted 10 hot and dry climates, where
the finer grades Of fibre cannot he pro-
duced on account of climatic conditions
and will be found profitable east of the
mountains The third system, however,
while vastly more profitable. entirely ig-
nores the production of seed and aims
only TO produce the finer grades OF fibre,
such as Is required for fine linen. cambria
and lace manufacture, and which can
only be grown TO advantage In a lew
favored locations in the world, among
which may be mentioned Belgium. the
north of ireland. some portions of Russia
and Puget Sound and Western Wash
inrton In such localities. being specially
adapted to the production or fine hbre,
the fibre industry has become the leading
one as In Belfast etc, and VIII he, In the
near future. on Puget Sound. 1t may he
of interest 10 compare the financial re
suits Of the three systems, from which
we viii see the paramount advantage
Puget Sound possesses over all other por-
tions of the United States.
The first system viii yield a maximum
crop Of say - bushels. of fax. and worth,
say. $40 per hushel: say gross total
| Of SsS per acre ont OF which the cost
of production viii have no be deducted.
In the second system the same sum OF
as per acre may he allowed for seed,
with the addition Of, say $40 pounds OF
| coarse hbre worth 10 70 cents per pound,
or say SO per acre gross
I'm the third case--that applicable only
10 Puget Sound-while we abandon the
production Of seed. we obtain from 100
to 1870 pounds OF fibre. worth
all the way from i TO 81 cents
per pound or a gross yield OF
500 10 500 per acre. OF course the
cost OF producing he more valuable arti-
Gle is greater. bat the margin Of profit
| is also vastly larger.
In conclusion ] would add that. as I
| have been recently appointed special agent
| Of nbre fnvestiga ion for the department
| of agriculture. I shall be pleased 10 furu-
| ish farmers with seed and instruction
| free 81 cost who VIII agree 10 cultivate
| for the department ope-tenth Of an acre
| Q6 rods sacn. As the object of this *
| pertinent is 81 trst the quality Of fax
| grown under different conditions and or
| different qualities Of land throughout the
/ Puget Sound country. the farmers may
/ retain ans seed they produce. 50 long
"a they VIII give the straw 10 thG-epart-
/ meuE for examination and test In this
/ connection I would suggest 20 farmers
| fhat as IN the near future there viii be
| established a good market for aax straw
/ ou Puget Sound, and as the requirements
/ for fine fNre culture are TO some extent
| peculiar and unique farmers availing
! themselves OK this opportunity for in
| Stguction ard practice will thereby be
| enabled 10 snter upon the sery profitable
! business 81 FAX culture for fine fhre
| uuderssand3nGiy as soon as the demand
/ arises. As ihe fax seed should be sswn
| Bot later than the middle OF May, the
| available tlue Is limited. and early appli-
| alton should b. made. and I shall feel
/ favored by the Puget sound papers copy
| ina fEe above for the benefit 81 their
/ readers A " THORNTON
/ Special Agent - Fibre Investigation.
AL