Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1923-05-03
FLAX GROWING INCREASING
FLAX GROWING BECOMES Prof.
TABLE WITH THE WISCONSIN
FARMERS

Flax is becoming popular crop
with Wisconsin farmers.
During the last six years there has
been good market for both the seed
and the straw, and flax growing has
Deen comparatively profitable.
A. H. Wright of the field crops staff
of the Wisconsin college Of agriculture
reports that the price has averaged
better than 50 bushel except in 1921
when it averaged $3.50 The price paid
for flax straw during 1922 ranged from
81 to 50 a ton, baled and delivered to
railway stations.
Growers report the acre yield of flax
in Wisconsin as generally good, usual
ly averaging better than that of any
other flax-producing state. On suitable
soil they expect yield of Is bushels
of seed and quarters ton of
straw an acre.
The labor of producing flax is SINH
lar to that for such small grains as
oats and barley, but the cost of thrash
ing is somewhat greater. Seeds for
planting is not expensive, as only two
to three pecks are planted to the acre
That flax will grow well on sod
lands, such as new breaking and old
meadows, is the belief of Wright at
may be grown" he says on any fer
tile soil that is well drained and not
infested with weed seeds. In sections
of the state where short seasons limit
the crops that can be grown, flax
should be of particular interest, since
it is fairly resistant to spring frosts
and natures in so short a time that
frosts rarely interfere with its maturi-
ty.
Wisconsin farmers have grown flax
to some extent for more than SO years
Forty years ago this state produced
100000 bushels of flax seed annually,
but during the last 20 years the annual
production averaged less than 100000
bushels. Very low prices for flax seed
together with the prevalence of flax
wilt, were principally responsible for
the decreased production. During the
last few years conditions have chang
ed considerably, for not only has the
price improved, but also wilt-resist-
ant varieties of flax have been devel-
oped so that practically no loss from
disease has been suffered.
During the last 10 years Wisconsin
has grown from 5000 to 5000 acres of
flax each year, and in 1922 the acreage
was 1000. The yield in Wisconsin is
approximately four times that of Nom
tana, twice that of North Dakota and
slightly higher than that of Minnesota
The principal regions of production in
Wisconsin are the west central coun-
ties, st. Croix, Polk, Pierce and Dunn;
the eastern red clay belt and the lake
shore region. There is also scatter
ing acreage of flax in practically all
OF the southeastern counties.
There is a permanent and stable
market for flax seed, says Mr.. Wright
1t is a world commodity used in ire
mendous quantities, principally for the
manufacture of linseed oil. Quotations
can be obtained regularly from either
Milwaukee or Minneapolis. The usual
country price during recent years was
about Is cents bushel less than the
terminal price. In most parts of the
state there are local dealers who
handle the seed. and where there are
no such dealers, II can readily be sold
direct to the Hnseed oil mills in Mil
waukee or the Twin cities.
There is a very good market for
reasonably clean and fairly long flax
straw. Flax produced in Wisconsin
is usually considerably taller than that
produced in the northwest, Sc the
straw is also greater in Wisconsin
than in most other flax producing
states. 1t can be baled in slack times
during the winter months and in local.
ties where flax tow mills are available
it may be hauled without baling.
There are two flax tow mills in Wis
consin at the present time, one at
Union Grove, Racine county, and one
at Baraboo Sank county. These tow
mills not only buy straw from sur
rounding farms but also buy it from
a distance and have it shipped in.
For those in the western and north
western counties a market for the
straw is available at Minneapolis, ST.
Paul or Duluth.
Such good results have been obtain
ed by farmers in Goodhue county,
Minnesota, in the growing of flax and
wheat together as combination crop
that much interest is being shown in
that method of cultivation. The re
suits obtained in Minnesota indicate
that wherever wheat is ordinarily
grown it is worth while to try out
combination of flax and heat as cash
crop. In Wisconsin number of farm
ers have grown flax and oats in COM
bination as feed crop and have re-
ported good results. A special circular
on growing such mixed crops has been
prepared and may be obtained from
the agronomy department of the Wis