THE CULTIVATION OF EUROPEAN FLAX.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1000, 5 September 1882, Page 1

THE CULTIVATION OF EUROPEAN FLAX.

(Concluded.) As an Exhauster of the Son.— A very general opinion prevails that flax is the most scourging; of all crops. Crops which mature their seed art more exhaust’ ing than those which are pulled green or fed off by stock. When an enlightened system of farming prevails, nothing is allowed to waste ; the straw produced is either consumed by cattle er converted into manure. The Colonial system .of farming is to grow corn crops so long as any profit accrues, the straw being burned or otherwise wasted, and nothing, returned to the soil. Under such conditions flax is little more exhausting than wheat. A crop of wheat averaging 30 bushels per acre is said to remove the following more important plant food constituents ; Phosphoric acid ... '23 lbs Potash 29 ~ Nitrogen ... 31 ~ An average crop of flax in good soil would produce two tons of straw, and from 13 to 20 bushels of seed per acre, removing the following constituents (based on 2 tons straw and 12 bushels «eed) : Phosphoric acid ... 70 lbs Potash HO n Nitrogen ... ••• 40 ~ Titus we see that flax robs the soil of less nitrogen than wheat does, while it takes up a much larger quantity of mineral plant food, viz., potash and phosphoric acid ; neither the pure fibre nor the oil contain any of these mineral constituents. The inorganic matter of the seed remains in the cake, which, if used to feed cattle, may be returned to the soil as manure, and in this way an occasional crop of flax need not be more exhausting than wheat. It may be argued that it will not pay to use oil cake as cattle food. It certainly would not pay costing £lB to £2O per ton, but at £7_los pet ton, the price at which a local company should produce a pure article, its use would soon extend. The judicious use of oil cake will be found a good investment in many ways ; ground cake mixed with chopped straw damped, is a healthy and fattening mixture tor young and store stock, also dairy cows- The development of the frozen-meat trade will also tend to increase its consumption. It may be said that oil cake can, with advantage and profit, be given to all kinds of farm stock, if enly as a health

preserver. A Market for our Fibre —The introduction of twine-binding harvesters has at once created a local market for twine, which will continue to increase until the country is fully supplied with twine-binders. There were 700,000 acres under corn in New Zealand last yesr ; supposing that the whole of this area was tied with twine at 21b per acres, we would consume C 25 tons, which at 8d per lb, the price at which a local company, could easily produce it, would represent £46,666. It would require the fibre grown on 2400 acres to produce the wbove quantity of binding twine. In addition to this kind of twine, all the seaming and shop twines might also be manufactured in the colony ; so that for the present we have ample scope to commence operations at once. We cannot hope to be able to supply any of the twine required for next harvest, but we should be prepared to supply the demand for the harvest of 1884, by which time there will probably be a sufficient number of twine binders in the country to tie at least onehalf of the whole area grown.,; Our native flax will of course come into competition, but there is ample room for both Industrie*. The question of exporting our Europeon flax fibre to the home market, as some propose, will have to be tested carefully before being largely embarked in. I am of opinion that fibre from si raw which has ripened its seed can hardly be produced of sufficient quality to command a paying price, at least lor the present ; happily, we need not trouble our heads on tics po nt, as wc have a good market for all a c can | reduce foi years to come ; and although the quality may not hr. superior, it will be sufficiently good for our purpose. As time goes on. and our farmers become experts in the art of growing and preparing the fibre, it will be quite soon enough to think of tut her shipping or manufacturing linen fabrics. The following extract is from a recent number of '.be European Mail ; “Mr 11. Stratton (Monmouthshire, England) has been growing flax for tbo past three years ; selling his straw (tinsteeped) to the Ely Paper Works. Cardiff. His crop last year yielded 40 cwt of straw per a;re,for winch ho received £4 10s per ton, or a total of £9 per acre ; and 20 bushels of s-od sold at 8s per bushel, or £3, making a total of £l7 per acre. Tho manager of the paper mill states that he is prepared to purchase 1000 tons at £4 10s per leu.” Such fads should set us thinking, for I thought is tho parent of action.”