LINSEED ANt> FLAX. • fOTAOo Witness.]

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 117, 29 August 1885, Page 7

LINSEED ANt> FLAX. • fOTAOo Witness.]

TrtßKg ye&u ago the cultivation of flux (Linum perettne) was strongly urged upon .the attention of fanners in New Zealand, and with the result in this part of the Colony that many trial crops were grown. Generally speaking, the experience of the growers was Unfavourable, ami (he pursuit has not been porsevered in because, as alleged, it proved to be unprofitable. The subject has, been again brought prominently under consideration in a report issued by the Crown Lands Department, and in which appears an official communication from the Commissioner of Crown Lands in Ctago, as well as a progress report by F. Singer and Co., of Dunedin — a firm who have been conceiled the privileged occupation of a considerable area of Government lands with the object of establishing an oil and oilcake industry. In commenting on the evidence submitted to him by Messrs Singer and Co., Mr Maitland states : 14 farmers are having their attention directed to the profitable nature of the industry by the New Zealand Loan and i Mercantile Agency Company, whose constituents are urged to grow see 1, tlje local manager of the company having satisfied himself on the merits of the &Übject» Messrs Siuger and Co. offer every facility to farmers in the way of supplying seed for cropping and information respecting its cultivation. They aiso guarantee to purchase the need at a given price, the ruling price at present, being I believe 5s 6d per bushel." OJf their operations so far on the land granted them, Messrs Singer and Co., under date sth May of this year inform the Commissioner "of the 1500 acres granted about 600 acres are steep gallics and unfit for ploughing ; of the remaining 900 acres we have 530 acres under linseed now cut and stacked, expecting abont ten bushels per acre ; fifty acres under rape (also for seed) not matured yet) 150 acres under turnips, and the balance partly broken up and partly second furrow." The total expenditure, including erection of substantial house Mid outbuilding, fencing, ditching, &c. t &c, is 1 giving as nearly £4000, and is I adduced as evidence of the firm's confidence in the future of the undertaking. The past crop was dissappointing, but it is explained—" We hardly had any right to expect more, considering the first sod was turned not two years ago, the land being not rotten, and sour, besides the bad seasons we h*ve had." The following extract letter to Mr Maitland, however, embodies the strange point endeavoured to bo made—- 1 ' Even at a failure of ten bushels per acre of Unseed, you will see by the following figures that it pays better than 40 bushels of oats, namely, say linseed, sowing fifteen pounds per acre, costs Is 3d ; freight to Dunedin ten bushels at 6d, ss, total 6s 3d. All the other labour is the same a« oats. ' Oats, sowing seed, three bushels at Is Gd f 4s 6d ; freight on 40 bushels at 3d 108 ;— total, Us 6d, Yield, linseed, lO bushels at 5s 6>. f cash, without carrying, £2 15s J less expenses ab.»ve, 6* 3d ;— result, £2 9s 9d. Yield, oats, 40 bushels at Is 6d, £3 } less expenses brides currying 14« 6d ; —total, £2 5s 6d, ' But we fully expect next season to get an average crop, the hind hemi? now so much , better." Messrs Singer and Co\ estimate an average crop of linseed at 25 bushels per acre, bit add i " We can point you out several farmers who have got from 40 to 43 bushels per acre, some 80 to 40, and some from 10 to 2U. With good ground well worked and a fair season. We (Jo not consider 40 bushels anything to speak about, th fact, Mr AtfohVch, of New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, after satisfying ■ himself, asked as for a written gtfaffantee to purchase nil the linseed and rape-seel he can get at 5s 6d per bushel, and has sent circulars to all his constituents urging taem to grow seed.'' •. • • Farmers contemplating the growth of linseed will naturally desire to b<? t assured of a ma'ricet and the price the 'produce would command. Five shillings and sixpence per bushel is the quotation given and from enquiries recently made we learn of ft' quantity amounting to 10 tons of provincial-grown linseed having been bought for 10s per cwt, or about 5s per bushel of 60lb, This parcel it mny be added, was purchased to be converted into Httsee'd mealy and locally the demand for the seed must be largely influenced by requirements for the oil, th 6 mealf and oilcake. The Home prices, however' afford the best criterion of standard values, and by the Mark Latte JSkpreasof June tf it appears that linseed iti the Liverpool market was at date quoted at £2 4s to £3,, ,6s per quarter of 4101b, or say, 6s 3d to ,6s o<l per bushel. It is possible thai tW growth of linseed would acquire a farther attraction were tliere a market for' the* flux fibre; 6ut tlje prod notion' fpr oil ismVt compatible with .the ptt? JfftrtW I 'cf ] th? fine material nqrtjred, by, the; line^mana* fucturers. Nor, again, \n tU« cttltlvH*

.lion sjmilar. To * grow lor seed, thin ! sowing is n»cesßjiry, bmm?e eac'i nla it throw* out top branch <*s which »eed n!>un*i«hHy ; hut wli«»n ttbr> (s th« .ohjVct,, thick,, sowing is the rule. VfivU regard to (he cultivation of flax; whether for: wted or li I »re» ' lio assort ioij eoul.f be »»<»re tni?«lea«fiii«r or wider of the truth than that U issimihtr; to 1 that for *».hts; JPW'not only requires a joil ridi In Vejfetible tnoul'l, l>«t the lami must lbe absolutely f fee from weeds fttuj | thoroughly pulverised. In the N;>ftU ,' of Ireland, where the ffrowtli and manit*. fneture of flax have been long established industries, the special prepiifation of land for the crop is known to be indispensable. Thorough pulverisation of the soil and freedom from weed* are just as necessary When the production of seed is the object. l?onl or rottgh land will give no payable yfold of linseed. In sowing linseed precaution mnst be taken that frosts are, ttot likely to follow, ai these prove fatal to the yotin^ plant. The surface of the land should he as letel and smooth as possible, and the seed ztfflst be very lightly covered in, otherwise a considerable portion of it will not germinate. The lightest possible bush harrow will suit for the work aa some of .the best authorities assert that as little as half an inch of cover is excessive. The quantity of seed per acre, when linseed, not fibre) in the object, will vary from ] 51b to 221b per acre according to circumstances, and the farmer must endeavour to procure his seed from the preytoits year's growth. The season for sowing is at hand, and it *nay be well to point out that every farmer who has live stock may ad van tagtously try a small plot of 6a£ by way of experiment, as the seed will prove of immense benefit in rearing cnWes or as a mixture in horse or cattle food.