§ 56. Sir SAMUEL ROSBOTHAMasked the Minister of Agriculture what progress is being made in connection with experiments in home-grown flax; and if he is in a position to give any information as to the (possibilities of flax-growing in Great Britain on a paying basis?
§ The MINISTER of AGRICULTURE (Major Elliot)I understand that the Linen Industry Research Association is proposing to sow this year, in Norfolk, about 110 acres of pedigree flax, which will subsequently be processed at the association's research station at Lambeg, Northern Ireland. The method of the processing introduces certain new features devised at Lambeg which, on an experimental scale, has given promising results. As regards the latter part of the question, it is doubtful whether, at present prices for seed and fibre, flax could be grown or manufactured in Great Britain on an economic basis, unless soine new process can be introduced which will materially cheapen the cost of production of fibre. The purpose of the enterprise in Norfolk is to ascertain how far progress is possible on these lines.