Bygone Days: Inspection made flax-growing plots in the neighbourhood of Coleraine (1920)

Amongst those present were the Right Honourable H T Barrie, MP, DL, vice president of the Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction; Mr D Johnston, president Ulster Farmers' Union, Mr J R Campbell, assistant secretary Department of Agriculture, Mr John W Stewart, Bogill, Coleraine, president Flaxmill Owners' Association, Mr James Adams, Irish Agricultural Organisation Society, Mr F B Small, vice president Flaxmill Owners' Association, Mr James Stewart, Liskey, Strabane, Dr G H Fethybridge, head of the department's plant diseases division, Mr William Jackson, JP, Ulster Farmers' Union, Coleraine, Dr J Vargas Eyre, Linen Industry Research Association, Mr Searle, Linen Industry Research Association, Mr J S Gordon, chief inspector Department of Agriculture, Mr James Ireland, JP, Ivy Holme, Saintfield, Mr Joseph, Maybin, Gilgod, Ballymena, Mr J H Bennett, Department of Agriculture, Cork, Mr P Kelly, Ballyard, Killygordon, Mr Andrew Lowry, Agrey, Ballindrait, Sir W J Megaw, chief flax inspector Department of Agriculture, Mr A Cromie, Millvale, Rathfriland, Co Down, and Mr H A Lafferty, ARScI, assistant in the department's plant diseases division.

Speaking at a luncheon prior to the inspection, Mr J R Campbell said they had with them for the first time representatives of two new bodies, the Ulster Farmers' Union and the Linen Research Association and to them they extended a hearty welcome.

He said: “The Ulster Farmers' Union is keenly interested in the work of the department and I am certain that that interest will continue to increase.

“The Linen Research Association, while primarily engaged in investigations on behalf of spinners, is sure also to deal with matters which related to the cultivation, retting, and scutching of flax, and I am certain that any new ideas which they might evolve will find a place in the department’s experiments; but I might add that the farmers' test will be the increase value of the crop and the amount of money which it provides for the farmer and for the labourer.”

The parties then proceeded to the farms on which the experiments were being carried out.

The News Letter noted: “The experiments have been in progress for a number of years, but increasing attention has been devoted to them since the issue of the Departmental Committee's report on the flax-growing industry, which laid special emphasis upon the importance of providing a better supply of seed.

“Since then tests have been conducted with the object of ascertaining the influence of imported and home-grown seed. Careful selection of the latter and the compulsory saving of home-grown seed which took place in 1917 have demonstrated that under certain conditions selected home-grown seed may be relied upon to produce equally good, if not better, results than imported.

“In dealing with this question of home-grown seed the chief difficulties have been to secure careful harvesting and storing of the seed and the selection of good strains of the varieties which give the best results.

“Since 1911 the selection of improved strains of the best varieties of flax has been receiving special attention. The methods adopted are those which have been so successful with other crops - namely the propagation on the pure line system of seed from selected plants.”

These selections had been made at the department's seed-raising station at the Albert Agricultural College, Glasnevin, and propagation had been done at their station in Co Cork, it was noted.

One of the problems to be solved in connection with the successful development of the flax-growing industry, the meeting heard, was “the combating certain diseases which affect the crop”.

These were being investigated by the department's research staff, and in order to facilitate the inquiries a field laboratory had been established in the centre of the flax district at Coleraine, where the diseases were being studied “on the spot”.

The News Letter noted: “Considerable progress has already been made in differentiating between crop failures due to actual fungoid diseases and those due to soil conditions. A form of 'yellowing',' which is of frequent occurrence in flax brairds, has been shown by manurial experiments to be capable of prevention by the use of potash.

“Another form of 'yellowing' which has been termed 'seedling blight' has been investigated, its cause has been discovered, and remedial measures are being worked out. This disease is transmitted by infected seed, and the fungus which causes it hibernate in the mucilaginous layer of the seed coat.”

In regard to so called “firing” and “browning”,which also caused serious damage to the crop, some interesting results had been obtained.

“The cause of ''browning' has been discovered, and the disease has been proved to be seed borne.

“'Firing' and 'rust' are also being studied, and it has been found that these diseases, too, may be transmitted with the seed, if not actually by it. Flat 'wilt' and 'dead stalk' are other troubles which are receiving special attention in these investigations.”

The visitors were greatly impressed by the insight into and the exposition given of the diseases and insect and pests by Messrs Lafferty and Rynhart, the officers in charge of the field laboratory at Boghill.