The San Francisco call., 1899-04-22

raw material and have additional crop with which
to further diversity farming.
In another view OF it very important results may
follow the successful substitution of fax for ute in
sacking The Belgian experts found our flax equal
to the celebrated Coutrai product which is the finest
flax fabric in the world. While tow goods may be
made OF flax in almost any locality, the finer qualities
of linen require certain favorable conditions that do
not exist everywhere.
Ireland and Belgium are noted for their fine linens
because of local conditions which were discovered
emprically.
But the ancient Egyptians made very fine linen, so
fine that article of luxury used in the vest
mens OF the priests The linen used as cerements for
their dead is preserved on Egyptian mummes and is
OF excellent quality. Its modern imitation called
mummy cloth" is evidence of its high class.
Now the climate of Egypt is not unlike that of
California, and if the ancients could without our
modern machinery or knowledge of the chemistry of
rettng the fiber, produce linen of quality that would
find favor now, why may it not be done in California?
1t is remarked that manufactures take hold here
slowly One reason is that California is not pro-
ducer OF iron ore, so that throughout the range of
iron and steel manufacture the material has to be i'm
ported; the same is true OF the hardwoods used in
vehicle manufacture and cooperage. We are richer
than any other part of the world in conferous timber
but are deficient in hard timber. This handicaps the
vast variety of metal and wood manufactures here
and makes us in measure dependent upon Others
The most successful manufacturing is carried on
either where the raw material is produced or where
there are exceptional physical conditions favorable to
its manufacture Nearly all manufactures of the great
staples which the necessaries of life had rude
and crude form in the beginning as the modern
Sheffield cutlery began in the rude 'whittle" ad-
mired by the Saxons and Angles 1t is quite possible
that water may be found in California as suited to
rettng flax as that of the Lys in Belgium and that
beginning with the coarsest use OF flax tow in making
grain bags we may domesticate not only the crop OF
material but its use in the highest and finest
fabrics
The authorities should inaugurate experiments at
the ue plant in San Quentin like those carried on at
Walla Walla, in Washington, and if equally success
ful, sufficient breadth OF fax should be planted here
to experiment a large scale, to secure proof that
will warrant the required amendments in the jute
machinery to adapt it to fax.
We not informed whether fax can be permitted
rpen its seed and at the same time afford fiber in
condition for use. If the two can go together the
crop capable of this double would surely be safely
profitable. The farmers OF the State should commu-
nicate with the prison officers and the agricultural
department OF the State University should collect and
distribute information the subject AS far as the
matter has proceeded we have the conclusions of the
Belgian linen manufacturers and the result OF the
prison experiment in Washington If such results
be reached with our fax fiber abroad we may
surely hope to produce them at home.
The recent addition OF the sugar beet to the list of
profitable farm products is held to be of great sgni
fcance to the rural prosperity OF the State II
be promptly followed by the introduction OF profit
able fax culture the addition of two new crops will
greatly add to rural wealth.