§ MR. J. DEVLIN (Belfast, W.)To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that the supply of Irish-grown flax is altogether inadequate to the local demand; whether he can state the average quantities of home-grown and foreign-grown flax, respectively, used yearly in Ireland and the approximate value of the same; and whether he can state what steps, if any, are being taken by the Agricultural Department to encourage the growth of flax in Ireland, and with what result.
(Answered by T. W. Russell.) The supply of Irish-grown flax is altogether inadequate to meet the local demands in Ireland. In 1906, the last year for which figures are available, it is estimated that the import of flax amounted to 32,424 tons, valued at £1,705,502. In the same year it is estimated that Ireland produced 12,024 tons, the value of which is estimated at £673,344. The following steps have been taken by the Agricultural Department to encourage the growth of flax in Ireland:—A party of Irish farmers and scutch-mill owners have been sent annually to the Continent to learn the methods of their competitors there. Their Reports have then been circulated in the flax-growing districts. Experiments have been conducted annually to determine the best kind of flax seed and the best manures for it. The results of these are also published annually. Information is collected from abroad with regard to the seed crop in the principal seed-raising countries. This information is also circulated for the information of farmers. To show the value of good seed, quantities of the very best have been annually imported and distributed at cost price or in payment as prizes. Samples of seed are tested for farmers at a nominal fee of 3d. per sample. Flax societies have been 724 formed for the joint purchase of seed and the scutching of flax. The Department pay half the salary of the manager for the first year or two. The Department have also trained managers for this purpose. Liberal prizes have been annually offered for scutched flax as well as for the best fields of flax. Experiments have also been conducted in artificial retting. Last year the Department extended this work to County Cork, where an officer is engaged giving his whole time to the revival of what remains of the flax-growing industry there. The results of this work vary with the attention which is paid to it by the people in the different districts. Everyone agrees that there has been a great change in the quality of the seed and in the method of manuring, both of which were in great need of improvement. The increase in the acreage under flax may be taken as some indication of the influence of this work:—
Acres. Average area under flax for ten years 1896–1905 47,500 Area under flax in 1906 55,189 Area under flax in 1907 59,650