The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-06-14
PUGET SOUND FLAX.
DR.. Thornton's Experiments
Highly Successful
SUITABLE SOIL AND CLIMATE.
Specimens Sent TO Ireland for Mann
facture-Practical Susgcs-
lions and Figures.
SUITABLE SOIL AND CLIMATE.

growing fax for hher now Is lost art,
bat one that is. with steady effort on the
part OF those interested. destined TO be
one Of the chief industries of Puget sound.
The time is propiEious also. for the eul-
ture of fax in the old country is declin-
ing and must continue TO decline. owing
ID the ant.quatsd methods or culture
adopted and to the high price OF land.
Flax culture in Europe is steadily DRIFT
ing 10 the most favored localities. which
are Ireland. Belgium. Holland. Prussia
Russia. France. And as DIR. \. W. Thorn
ton. special agent for the investigation OF
fiber fax. says: We require. not 10
EuropeaniZed the American. but 10 Amer
.fcanize the European system" Of culture.
DR.. Thornton's experiments in lax cui-
ture. already reported at some length IN
the Pcst-InreIlisencer. have been carried
on for the purpose Of demonstrating the
special adaptaoAllIy OF the climatic and
other conditions Of Puget sound TO the
production OF the finer grades OF fax hber.
and the results have been extremely en-
couraging. The experiments OF lsSl. iss2
and 1873 were so encouraging that the Sec
rotary OF agriculture made an appropria-
ton for the purpose OF having the prod
yet OF 1855 rotred and Scutched By hand in
order 70 test its commercial value. and as
a result OF this experiment the secretary
OF agriculture authorized DR.. Thornton
10 eontinus his inveSiis cations upon a larg-
or scale under the auspices Of the United
States department Of agriculture during
the season OF 1855
Unfortunately the seed which came
from Europe for this experiment did not
arrive until six weeks after the proper
period for sowing, thus yitiating the re-
suits OF the experiment as regards the
data properly derivable from crop grown
under normal conditions. The expert
ment nevertheless yielded between seven
4 - -. a II
lily and sixty bushels OF good Tax seed.
The experiments have fairly demon
strated that Puget sound is especially
adapted 10 the production of the higher
numbers and more costly grades OF fax
dber, and there are only a few such To-
calities in the known world.
The Seattle Chamber or Commerce has
taken great interest in the matter OF fax
culture, and ss reported in the Post-In-
telligencer, issue of June 6. has recently
received a large exhibit OF fax In it's va
rlous stages, from the raw TO the manu-
featured article. which are now on ex-
hibit at the Chamber OF Commerce for
the guidance of those interested in the
subject. These exhibits were sent by Will
liam Barbour & Sons, OF Ldsburn, Ireland,
and include both Belgian and Irish fax.
Too much Importance cannot be at
tached 20 this fax industry. especially in
this day of low prices for hops. Many
millions OF dollars worth of fax Is yearly
imported into the United States from
Europe. Puget sound could supply this
demand with a fax not unworthy to rank
with the Courtrai fax of Belgium.
A few weeks ago a large quantity OF
fax straw grown on Puget sound was
shipped from the Chamber OF Commerce
10 Barbour & Sons for manufacture.
They have pronounced the samples ex-
cellent and very similar to that grown in
be raj ri fft Eta.fsv To e.
industry TO enrich a community and one
which Seattle and those who possess the
Seattle idea" should not lose sight OF.
Flax can be grown on almost any soil,
but the quality of the product Is modified
by the nature of the soil. The best soil
is a deep. sandy loan with a little clay,
sufficient 10 give IL stiffness, with good
drainage. The land should be plowed
about a foot deep IN the fall. and when
possible II VIII be found beneficial 10 SUBJ
soil, and then harrow the land level.
About the middle OF March 10 the middle
OF April. the land should again be plow-
ed shallow about two or three inches
until there is fine filth. II may also be
found good to roll the land II IL be at
all sandy, and great care should be Ia
ken TO have the land clear OF weeds. II
gill take about three bushels OF seed 10
the acre, and II should be sown broad
cast. The above quantity refers more es-
having been sowed the seed should be
covered lightly and rolled.
Flax should not be sowed two years In
succession on the same land. In Europe
d period OF from five TO seven years il
usually allowed between fax crops: but
in the Puget sound district IL is gener-
ally conceded that three years would at
present be a long enough interval.
Flax grown for fiber must be pulled
and tied IN bundles. The bundles are gen.
orally about eight inches In diameter with
the ends ali evenly placed together. The
right time 10 harvest is when the seed
begins to change color. Pulling fax BY
hand Is q somewhat slow and expensive
process. costing about s. per acre By
machine the cost Is about s. per acre
Flax al the mill VIII fetch about SIS per
ton on an average.
The following figures CLEANED from Dr.
A w. Thoruton's excellent article. enti-
tied Fiber Flax In Washington" VIII no
doubt be found useful to those interested
in this industry:
Growing Eaxseed for the OH mills is
not costiy operation. Twice piowtnx.
narrowing. rolling and seeding. may be
put AZ $ per acre: pesks Of ordinary
American seed. - cents. harvesting with
twine binder. threshing and Sacking, &:
say 81 total cultural expenses. Yield from
Is TO . bushels OF seed az g. ae-sls 10 81:
profit $ 20 So per acre. No very big
thing. nevertheless fairly profitable IL car
RED cut on large scale.
Growing .or seed for sowing for fibsr
purposes. the cost Ssl be the same for
culture and harvesting. sli plus a larger
quantity Of more costly seed aEnounSirt,
20 $50, total $3.50 Yield the same as
the former, Only the product vii bring
a higher price of g. per buShel. AMOUNT
ing 20 So 10 80 per acre. giving q profit
OF SIS - 20 s2s.5@. or somewhat better
Growing for seed and Gber, we may
agare upon 70 tons OF straw ami Is %
y bushels OF seed per acre. The cultural
expenses. however. viii be greater. tn
Guiding tie hand pulling and the larger
amount q seed required which nay be
estimated; Cultural Expenses as above.
IS pulling binding and stocking 80. rip
ping ane cleaning seed. sic. seed. s2E8.
hauling and stacking. or housing s.: to-
tai G4sa. Yie8a. 20 4 tons straw. 81 SIS
SIS 70 80: seed. sls 20 "a. total ss5 70 -;
prozt. $50 % s&.S1 per acre A result.
ID seems 10 Ene. far more profitable than
TIE farmer can at this time ordinarily Oh
tain
Carrying this estimate a step further
% see what an ordinary farmer can DO II
he has learned how 70 ret ard hand xoTk
rax hy working AZ odd tines Ia the ain
Ter and under cover. OCT % ta3s sore of
asx. shat cSst hin - - % grow. hs eau
rypssuc@ ~ hAnd work b@fwsea 80 ard
as rounds % aae Ete-. woTth al the xay
fxoEa u cestS 20 - cents per pound sith-
oft any cash satlay. though considerable 4