§ 77. Mr. BOLANDasked what steps, if any, have been taken to secure an in creased area under flax in Kerry and Cork?
§ Mr. DUKEThe Department of Agriculture for a number of years past have afforded growers in the Clonakilty and Rosscarberry districts of county Cork the services of an instructor in the cultivation and handling of flax, and during the past two seasons they have given the Fibre Corporation, Limited, the services of three instructors for work in counties Cork and Kerry. This company contracted with farmers for the growing of a large area of flax. A few loans for the equipment of scutch mills and Grants towards the cost of training scutchers have been made to persons in county Cork. The County Cork Committee of Agriculture also have allocated a sum of £100 for prizes for the best crops of flax in 1918. I am informed that the area under flax in counties Cork and Kerry was 257 acres in 1915, 767 acres in 1916, and 1,548 acres in 1917.