Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1915-07-07
AMERICAN FIBER FLAX

The common impression that flax
fiber of a sufficiently good quality can
not be produced in the United States
is declared to be quite unfounded in
a new publication of the department,
Farmers Bulletin CG9. "On the con-
trary," says the bulletin, ct has been
demonstrated beyond all doubt that
fiber flax of excellent quality can be
grown in various sections of the Unit
ed States" Experiments, for instance
have shown that fiber flax from Puget
Sound compares; vefya favorably with
that produced in the famous flax re-
gion of CourtTai, Belgium; and fiber of
good quality has also been grown, in
Minnesota. Wisconsin and Michigan.
Wether records show, that the temper
attire and humidity in the principal
flax centers Of Europe are much the
same as those which prevail in GER
tain sections of New York, Michigan,
Wisconsin, Oregon, and Washington.
Nevertheless there Is "a belief that
the growing of fiber f1aX-aavery diff
ferent thing from the growing of fax
seed-can not be successfully carried
on in America. AS a matter of fact
at the present time it can not be, but
this is entirely because of market con-
ditions. The individual farmer can
grow fiber flax, but he can not pre-
pare the fiber. Flax farmers, Of
course, could unite to pay for an ex-
perienced man to superintend this
work for them, but Under present
conditions it would seem better for
them to grow their flax under contract
with the dealer. In the past, however,
spinners and manufacturers have paid
little, more than half as, much for
American fiber as for the imported
varieties of equal grade. In conse-
quence the fiber dealers can not offer
the farmer a high price for his prod
uct. Possibly this difference in price
is due to the belief already mentioned
that American flax must necessarily
be of a poorer quality than the Euro
pean. If a salesman should offer two
pieces of linen OF equal quality to a
NuStoliCl a. uC SdlAS PliNC. ~ III
ported article almost invariably would
be purchased.
On the other hand, the production
of flax in Europe has been decreasing
for some time. and at the moment the
supply is practically cut off. 1t proba-
bly, will be several years before the
European production is as great as
formerly, and it appears therefore
hat the present offers opportunities
10 establish the industry in the United
States.
The United States imports annually
about $4,000. 900 worth of flax fiber and
and more than .S20,0O0,0O0 worth Of
linen gnods. About one-third OF the
fber comes from Russia and about
.one-fourth from Belgium. Fully three
fourths of the linen imports are Irish.
There appears to be no reason why
American-groWn fiber and American
manufactured linens should not be
substituted for a. least a large part
Of these imports.
During the past three years the
prices paid to the farmer for flax
straw with the seed, drawn directly
from the shock, have varied from SO
to $17 per ton, ard the yield has been
about 2 tons of unthrashed straw per
acre.. The grower usually receives
from 50 to So more for pulled fax
than for cut fax, and there is also a
larger crop when the fax is pulled,
thus saving all that would otherwise
be wasted as stubble. UP to the pres
ent, however, no satisfactory pulling
machine has been made, and except
where labor can be secured at a COM
paratively low rate cutting the fax
with a grain binder appears to be the
more economical method in this coun-
try. In Europe the usual method Of
harvesting is by hand pulling. This
not only increases the quantity OF the
crop, but prevents the fiber near the