Judith Gap journal. [volume] (Judith Gap, Mont.) 1908-19??, 1912-07-05
The FLAX CROP
FOR PURE SEED
BY Prof. Shaw.


The opportunity for growing pure
seed in the Dakotas and Montana is
one that should not be overlooked by
those who have land that is free from
the presence of weeds. All new lands
should be thus clean. In no case is
the opportunity greater for the grow
ing OF pure seed than III the case OF
flax. This arises from the peculiar
liability in that crop to be affected
by wilt.
Whether flax can be grown entirely
free from the taint of wilt germs is
disputed question. some authorities
claim that these are to some extent
present in all flax seed howsoever
grown. and that under unfavorable
conditions of growth they will mani
fest themselves. If this theory were
true. then the possibility OF growing
flax seed entirely free from wilt III
fectionin a latent form would be hope
less. Without attempting to settle
this question the following facts are
certainly true: ~ That flax grown
on new land should be possessed Of
much vigor. and that inherent vigor
is 50 fal safeguard against every
form Of disease, hence such flax seed
will be more wilt resistant than flax
seed grown under less favorable con-
ditions. (2) That treatment of the
seed with formaldehyde is SO far a
safeguard against wilt and, therefore,
as long as it is claimed by authorities
that wilt germs inhere in all flax seed,
AS Il measure Of safety it vii be ad-
yisable to treat the seed. (3) That
to further guard against disease the
growers Of flax for seed should use
everv precaution to guard against
wilt infection through the threshing
machines that may be employed.
To the writer it would seem reason
able that if good flax seed were OBJ
tanned at the outset from a field in
which no evidences of wilt could be
found while the crop was growing, and
!. that il the seed produced were sOwn
\ on new or uninfected land aud no
evidences Of wilt were present from
one year to another. the seed should
be regarded as sufficiently immune
for practical uses, regardless of the
view held that wilt infection is pres
ent in all flax seed in the latent form.
Lest, however. these germs should
be lurking about the seed. it may be
we'll to treat this seed to make as
surance doubly sure. 1t would be
interesting to know at the same time
whether flax seed could not be grown
from generation to generation on new
land without showing any wilt pro-
ducing tendencies, even in the alb
sence OF the formaldehyde treatment.
The writer is of the opinion that it
can be thus grown.
The employment Of a machine for
threshing the seed crop cannot be too
carefully guarded. If the machine
has threshed some other kind of crop
before coming to the farm to thresh
the seed flax crop, the hazard should
be reduced to Il minimum. Of course
the farmer who grows large areas Of
flax for seed can afford to have a
small separator of his own to do the
work.
Farmers who are growing flax at
the present time and especially on
new lands. will do well to examine
the crop carefully for the presence OF
wilt. Ii none is present, that fact
may be used in advertising the seed
The fields should also be carefully
examined for the presence of noxions
weeds, and if any stray plants art
present as mustard for instance, they
should be removed. The grower wht
can advertise seed crops that have
shown no indications of wilt and thai
guarantee the same as being fre'
from the seeds of noxious weeds, il
sure of a ready sale for his seed. ant
at a price considerably in advance o.
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