The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1899-12-23
~ nroduce the straw necessary for

On the part OF the Tue QueS-
lions of the amount of seed, fall plow-
Ing. spring blowing, deep blowing, time
of seeding and damage by insects and
kindred subjects were thoroughly de-
yeloped. For the manufacturers, new
machinery for the harvest of h plant,
to secure the best part of the stalk
nearest the ground, the different meth
dds of separating the fiber from the
woody portion of the plant, and the
varied machinery for that purpose,
with the more advanced stages OF mail
ufacture in all grades up to linen. con
tributed to an interesting session. All
interests seemed to he unified AS he
result Of the meeting and the
encouraged to greater efforts. y hrlli-
liant future seems assured for the III
dustry, and the sentiment eened pre-
dominant that this portion OF the
Northwest was the ideal country tn'
producing the plant to its highest de
gree of perfection.
The New Officers.
At the conclusion of the work the f",-
lowing officers were elected for The
ensuing year:
President. II. L. Thomas. RiSmarc'.
y. d.: first vice president. j. \. John
son. Fargo: secretary and treasurer.
Mrs. Herrictte G. Ollbrrg, .Alber, Lea.
Mimi: executive committee. ID. NJ.
Stewart. st. Paul: Prof. Sheppard.
Fargo: James Atkinson. Ames. Iowa:
T.. C.. Chilcot1. Brcollings. 5. d.: j. X.
Brady. Dodge Center. Mimi: Mrs.
Edith Wetllerhead. Portland. Or
Vice presidents were selected from
each of the seventeen states repre-
scented. Prof. Hays. of the Minnesota
experimental station. was added to the
committee OH resolutions. which was
authorized to report direct to congress
and urge the necessity of action along
the lines of further scientific expert
mentS in the cultivation and for new
machinery for fiber manufacture. The
executive committee decided that the
next annual meeting should be ileld
next December. but no selection of the
place will be made for some months.
The fiber mills. linSeed oil mills and
relinerieS We're inspected in the fore
noon and this afternoon was devoted
to the discussion of an instructive pro
The work was started with
a discussion on flax growing by en-
State Senator Smith of CaSseltOn.
= Wannan's Good Work.
Mrs. Ollberg, the secretary. told Of
her interests in the business from ller
father heing connected with the man.
utac1urr of fiber. She was in charge
Of the flax exhibit ut the Chicago
worlds fair and Omaha exposition.
Her account of the retting process of
separating the fiber from the stalk was
one nj the q interesting features of
the days work. The principles OF the
process were described and samples
shown illustrating the work. Opposed
to the general idea. the fiber was out
side. hot inside. the woody stock. Dew
ret1ing required two weeks. Water
retting WAS best With soft water.
There should be no mineral substances.
Stagnant water was bad on account OF
odor and injury to the fiber. Pool ret
ting was described and rctting in
streams was not Il good plan. The
Topping system or tank rctting was the
most preferable. All methods of ret
ting by chemicals We're injurious.
L. II. c. Crowell. general manager of
the United States Flax Fiber company.
spoke highly Of the aiaptabili,y of
this country for flax raising. He eN-
aibited samples of retting. described q
number OF the processes. and told of
the success he had in securing fiber
from the great plant by the rubber
roller process and praised the steam
process. The DR.. Hickman system Of
converting fiber into paper pulp was
explained by Manager Atkinson. Of
the French-Hickman Fiber company,
here. Breaking and scutching ma
chinery was the subject presented by
Prof. Hoverstad Of Crookston.
4 Decided Hit
was made by Prof. Hays, Of the Min
nescta experiment station in his adj.
dress on flax breeding. His thorough
knowledge of the subject was evident
and he treated the matter from the
historical and scientific standpoint.
American methods of cultivation and
machinery were pronounced superior
to those of any other country. Wheat
crops following flax We're usually n
success. better profits resulting from
the mixed sowing of flax and wheel.
than from either alone. and the best
and straightest fiber was secured from
fields where flax grew thickest. Thin
stands allowed too much branching.
NAASAA OiVhc up tie llueF StIEIluS ;iIlA
damaged its commercial value.
"Insects That Damage Flax" was the
subject of the address of Prof. Wal
dron. of the North Dakota experiment
farm, and he was of the opinion that
little danger attended the crop from
that source except from grasshoppers
and crickets. with occasional damage
from cutworms. ]. X. Brady of Dodge
Center. MIMI. assailed the methods OF
continuous flax production on the same
land and thought ignorant systems of
farming had done much to discourage
the industry, besides injuring the crop
and the land. He advised conserva-
tism in the production of the crop and
condemned what lie considered the
tendency of North Dakota and Mime
sofa farmers to rush into the cultiva,
ton at too great an extent.
H. r. Wood and A.. NJ. Halstead have
returned from a hunt at Medora. Mr..
Halstead pretty badly used up from
the result of a serious accident. While
riding In the lad Lands. his horse fell,
throwing him heavily to the ground.
nearly ending his existence. When
Mr.. Wood reached him he was uncon-
scious with his head turned under him.
1t was q very close call from instant
death.
Two bya-elections in the provincial
parliament of Prince Edwards Island
tn fiji vOcono;oS oo,oo1 h,, .1.o4l,, ~