Evening journal., 1920-10-18
SHORE FOLK
To GROW FLAX
N. Y. Financiers Asking
Farmers to Contract for
Elk Mills Plant
NEW CURING
PROCESS CLAIMED

Agents representing New York finan-
oiers are canvassing the farmers Of
this Slate and Eastern shore Of Mary
land with a view to The cultivation Of
flax on large scale. The farmers are
asked 10 contract 10 plant 60,OOO acres
Of flax in the spring and to deliver it
10 the plant that Is Just being COM
pleted at Elk Mills. Md. where it will
De transformed into thread ready for
textile mills. 10 Is understood that the
farmers will be paid $40 ton for the
fibre. and That from one and a half 10
TWO tons may be grown on an acre.
According TO information that Is
but the beginning OF an industry that
VIII eventually be extended 10 all parts
Of The United States, and 10 some Of
The foreign countries, and that this
projected wholesale disposal of fax
has been made possible recently
through the discovery of a chemical
process OF treatment that eliminates
The long and expensive rotting and
curing, with its almost impossible
physical work and terrible stencil and
other dsagrecable features that have
handicapped The cultivation OF the
crop in all except the countries where
tiAN sui hANA HiNf UNN'A " VI NNA hti >
seem 20 make 10 necessary TO stick TO
this sort OF farming
This newly discovered process cures
the fibre in less than a day, whereas
months were required under the Old
method. IL is proposed that each year
the acreage OF the crop will be null
tiplled rapidly, and that from 10000
acres next year farmers here and in
Maryland and adjacent states will be
engaged TO plant 10000 acres in fax .
and the gain each year is expected TO
maintain this ratio OF increase until it
viii exceed the total acreage OF cot
ton in this country.
10 is proposed TO export a large
amount Of the fibre TO Europe nota-
bly, 10 England and France, where 10
Is especially in great demand. and
where 10 Is especially sought by man
ufac.ure Of air and water planes. The
reduction Of the cost in manufacture
by the new method Will make the
cloth, or linen. cheaper than even the
ordinary cotton goods, and IL is pre-
dicted that flax will eventually take
the place Of cotton, for the reason
that IL can be cultivated and harvest
ed with a minimum Of manual labor
The new plant at Elk Aulls is almost
finished and is receiving It's machin-
cry; by spring ID Will be ready 10
care for all the yield OF the fibre rails
ed next season. Il Is regarded as the
central plant. and Others are planned
for erection in various parts OF the
country during The cOminf summer, so
that there will be a group OF these
mills in operation throughout the
country wherever fax may be grown.
10 is understood that The test Of the
curing process has been tried out
carefully in the last two years and
that It has met every expectation.
There IS much speculation as TO the
undertaking here among the few who
have been made acquainted with the
/ details. Among other claims Is one
| that Will make The United states tho
chief flax-producing country in On,
world and That IL viii almost wholly
supersede cotton, because OF It's su.
| periOrity and because Of the lower
price possible under the new pro
/ cess.
10 is understood that the PROPOSE
ton has been amply financed. and that
the company win be incorporated in
one OF ble Eastern States FOR 1000
600 All the money required for the
enterprise has been provided by New
York capitalists.
| IL means mat iN,VVu.VN OF acres OF
land In this country will be devoted
20 The culture on flaX and mat 10 will
enable the farmers 20 turn from the
over-prOductiOn OF wheat and corn
which seems inevitable with a lessen
/ ing Of the consumption by the prohi-
bitiOn Of the manufacture of liquors
10 a new crop that will pay them l0I
per cent. more than The average valu,
/ OF tle cereals or forage.