1 ( 105 ds
2 the instance -of the Agri-Horticultural- Society, invited the people to.
3 cultivate the’plant largely, offered rewards, and undertook ‘to buy up.
4 whatever seed or fibre might be produced, af the producer should be *.
5 unable to dispose, of ‘the produce othérwise. Instructions regarding”
6 .'the proper mode ‘of culture’ were circulated. - European” seed was also”
7 procured in such quatitities . as were: obtainable at the time, but this was *
8 chiefly sown, either under the Society's auspices,” ‘or, in the“ Sinmelinio
9 vicinity of Lahore... In the interior of the Distticts, the farmer. depended
10 _ on the seed of the: country. The plant’ is sown in’ the autumn and‘
11 reaped in ‘the spring. During the season of 1854-55, # very large area,
12 not less than 60,000 acres, was covered with the plant. The out-turn of,
13 - seed was very Syaciderabie perhaps not less than 5,400 tons, But owing
14 Success of the seed, +0 defects of culture, of irrigation, and of soil, the
15 " butfailure of the fre. stems proved nearly ‘all short, and consequently
16 the out-turn of fibre was nominal. Near Lahore, however, the seed
17 having been superior, and the culture paving been carefully supervised,
18 a small amount of good fibre: was produced, and was successfully’
19 prepared for use and exportation. The mass of linseed produced in
20 the interior of the country did not however fall upon the hands of
21 Government, though fair market prices were offered according to promise.
22 For, contrary to expectation, merchants from Hindoostan, Mooltan and
23 elsewhere purchased nearly the whole. The remainder was bought by-
24 Government, transported down the Indus to Kurrachee, and was there
25 sold at rates which more than cdvered the original price, and the cost
26 of transit. In 1855 about 25,000 acres were sown, but the season
27 being dry, was unpropitious. About 2,300 tons of linseed have however
28 been produced, and will be bought up by the merchants. No mer-
29 ‘chantable fibre was obtained. Such briefly is the history of the Govern-
30 ment flax and linseed experiment of 1854 and 1855. It was not
31 unsuccessful pecuniarily. The Government outlay was much smaller
32 than had been anticipated, and did not exceed Rupees 50,000 or £5,000,
33 Results of the expe but it was fully covered by proceeds. The experi-
34 rience gained. ment also may serve as a basis for some sound
35 conclusions. It appears that in the Punjab, linseed can be produced
36 even on second rate lands without any great effort or cost, and may be
37 either sold on the spot, or exported with advantage, so that the culture
38 would be fairly remunerative to the growers, But the production of fibre
39 is a much more difficult matter; care, intelligence, cost, trouble, good
40 P