Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1921-07-21

| will be reached by next WeeE
S While this year will be a recor
} one for flax production in Oregon
{ conditions on the eve of the haI
I vest indicate that the returns t
t growers will be little more tina,
half of the earliest anticipations
t according to Robert Crawford, su
t perintendent of the penitentiar
2 and director of the flax production
/ for the state, due to the unfaVor
[ able growing season which ha
: been experienced. The total GRO.
: of Oregon will probably be be
: tween 1000 and 1900 tons.
Based on the yield and prices o
last year, flax raisers expected tn
crop of 1921 to be worth in th'
neighborhood of $4,000, but lat
est conservative estimates nov
place the value of the crop in thu
neighborhood of $4,000. With ;
warm, moist growing season, {
yield of between two and three
tons to the acre was not uncom
mon last year, but only the best
fields will reach that amount this
harvest.
700 Acres Planted.
A total of 790 acres have been
planted this season, all but 40 be-
ing covered by the state contract
whereby growers will receive $55
ton for the pulled product, $40 a
ton for flax cut with bindery,
and $25 for the loose flax cut with
mower. Stipulations of the state
contract call for pulled flax 80
inches in length and bound "a
inches in length. 1t has been esti-
mated that only SO per cent of the
crop will be long enough to pull, it
being necessary to NOW the re-
mainder.. Practically none Of the
crop will be bound because flax
too short to be pulled could not be
cut low enough with the bindery
to make the required length of "a
inches.
Between $50 and 200 workers
will be needed next week to pull
the crop, according to Mr.. Craw-
ford. Pull ers receive $40 per acl.
for their work, and it is estimated
that their payroll for the state
will be in the neighborhood of
$1,000, net considering the cost of
harvesting the flax which will be
New Tank Designed.
A new cotton retting tank, de-
signed by Mr.. Crawford following
his return from a three-month
tour of America, Ireland and
Scotland, where he examined pro-
cess systems of the leading houses,
is being installed at present at the
penitentiary plant which will be
able to complete the process in five
days that took between Is and 25I
days in former years. Mr.. Craw-
lord experimental with his new
scheme, which involves artificial
heating of the retting tank, on a !
small scale with a one-ton tank. !
I
and three different patches of the
lax processed under different con- /
iitions have come from this tank
n as good if not better condition
han that produced by the former
method.
The function of the artificial
leat is to hasten the work of the
bacteria in retting, but all devices
o accomplish this have heretofore
'een unsuccessful, due to the un-
Ven heating of the tank. that
ould not be avoided. Mr.. Craw-
ord has successfully overcome
his difficulty, he says, although
-e VIII not divulge the details of
rs method, which he will prob.
bly, seek to patent.
Although two other states in the
mon are ahead of Oregon in flax
reduction, after his return from
is inspection of the various fIax
alslng sections Of the country Mr.
raTford is prepared to say that
ne climate Of Oregon gives If a
aperiority over other states as a
AK producing locality. The eli
rate here, he says, is much like
lat OF Ireland and other countries
liaous for flax growing.
Industry Still Young
Inc flax industry, however IS
Ill at its infancy in the United
Lates and Canada. In 1920 a to-
Il Of $3.50 acres were planted 10
ak in this country while in Ire
nd alone, with an area much less
ian that Of Oregon, an enormous
op was gathered from approxi.
ately l25'O00 acres there. Last
ar michigan and Minnesota
lth $500 and 1000 acres. respec-
'eiy' We're the only states that
ad over the acreage of OREGON |
o~eVer' the flax industry oil |
is but two years old |
akins Oregon seeord only t,l |
iehlgan as a consisten. pro- |
Icer.
The industry began in this state |
1919 Mr.. Crawford. 1t isl |
az Is one of the leading flax ex-l
Its OF America. being a native
ireland where he became learn |
IN the trade in the great linenl |
1ter of Belfast He CO.,.