§ Major Carverasked the Minister of Agriculture what encouragement his Department is giving to the sowing of linseed, which, owing to its oil content, is now of great value; and whether any research investigations have taken place as to whether the resultant straw from this flax plant could be utilised for paper-making?
§ Sir R. Dorman-SmithFarmers have been informed that the ploughing-up grant of £2 per acre may be paid in respect of land ploughed and sown to linseed following a direction by the War Agricultural Executive Committee. My Department has recently issued a leaflet dealing with methods of cultivation and harvesting of this crop. The Minister of Food is prepared to purchase home-grown linseed this autumn at the price then ruling for imported linseed; the grower will be given the option of purchasing 10 cwt. of linseed cake for each ton of linseed which he delivers. I understand that the utilisation of the straw of the flax plant for the making of paper and other industrial materials has been the subject of much 1059W investigation, but that no process of treatment has yet reached the commercial stage.