Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1907-06-15
USEFUL HINTS TO
FLAX GROWERS.
SEED SHOULD BE TREATED
WITH FORMALINE.
Flax Fiber Adds to the Value of the
Crop and Flax Can be Grown Pros
fitably if Proper Care is Taken.

Press Bulletin, No. u, of the Min.
nesota Experiment Station says
Within the past five years, faz
growing has been given an impetus
which promises to make use of the
plant Ga very much neglected feature
in this country as well as the seed
Thousands of dollars have annually
passed into the farmers hands for fax
seed. For the most part this seed has
been grown on new areas of our west
ern prairies. During this entire peri
cd of reclamation however, there was
hardly thought given to the value OF
the fiber. The straw was considered
a menace to the grain grower, and
was burned. The manufacturer has
luckily recognized the fact that Irvine
and good linen cloth as well as other
products such as insulating material
can proftably be made from the fax
straw just as it is grown by the farm
er. It is true that these manufactured
products are not perfect, but the in
dustries are sure to succeed and
thereby create an enhanced interest in
fax culture.
The part that the farmer is to play
in the future fax industry in Minneso-
ia is an important one and one not
without grave dangers. Flax is sub
~ 1zro E1ov "i1T
(Fusarium Lini-Bot.I This disease
has been the cause of a loss of millions
of dollars to the farmers of the world
and has been exceedingly hard to
combat. 1t is carried with the seed
and is held in the soil for number of
years. 1t attacks the plants during
all stages of growth and kills out a
field in proportion to the degrees of
infection. In the younger stages of
the fax plants growth the diseased
plants wilt, die, turn brown, and
crumble in short time. In the latter
stages of maturity the plants turn
brown near the base of the stem, the
initial point of infection but do not wilt
or necessarily succumb to the ravages
of disease.
Until recently there was no known
preventive for fax wilt, but Prof.
Bolley of the North Dakota Expert
ment Station, after several years of
study, discovered that a formaldehye
treatment of the seed would prevent
the diseases if the soil upon which the
treated seed is sown is free from wilt.
1t is recommended therefore, that all
fax seed be treated for the disease
before sowing. The treatment is
similar to the treatment of wheat for
smut and is as follows
l. Mix one pint of formaline with 45
gallons of water.
2. Thoroughly clean the seed with a
good tanning mill.
8. Spread the seed on tight floor
about five bushels at time.
4. A sprinkling pot with fine spray
nozzle may be used to apply the solu-
ton. Use not more than % gallon of
the solution to one bushel of grain.
5. While one man sprays the fax
another man with an inverted hand rake
should stir it rapidly to insure perfect
contact of all seeds with solution. Do
not get the seed too wet or it will
stick together.
6. After the seed is moist do not
allow it to stand in pile but spread
out and stir rapidly until practically
dry.
Extreme care must be taken to in
sure a perfect treatment. 1t takes
but slight amount of wilt to ulti-
mately do the damage. If fax is to
remain a success is Minnesota, the
wilt must be held in check Or prevent
ed.
Immune Flax.
Many excellent areas have been
given up, so far as fax culture is con
cerned, simply because of the wilt.
1t is hoped that the many sections in
Minnesota in which fax may be cult
/.