UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE 
 
 AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION 
 
 BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA 
 
 FLAX-MANAGEMENT PRACTICES 
 
 IN IMPERIAL VALLEY, 
 
 WITH WORLD STATISTICS 
 
 WALLACE SULLIVAN, H. LEE LANDERMAN, 
 and G. A. CARPENTER 
 
 BULLETIN 641 
 
 August, 1940 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA 
 BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Introduction 3 
 
 Brief history of flax in Cal ifornia 3 
 
 Acreage and yields 4 
 
 Average yield per acre * 4 
 
 Method of conducting enterprise-efficiency studies 6 
 
 Explanation of terms used in flax enterprise-efficiency studies 7 
 
 Yield, income, and costs 7 
 
 Percentage distribution of costs 9 
 
 Detailed costs and inputs of production factors 10 
 
 Seedbed preparation 10 
 
 Seeding 12 
 
 Irrigation 13 
 
 Harvesting flaxseed 14 
 
 Materials 14 
 
 Harvesting flax straw 15 
 
 Rental costs 16 
 
 Standard costs 17 
 
 Processing and trade 17 
 
 Products of flax 17 
 
 Flaxseed analysis 19 
 
 Flax straw 21 
 
 Market outlets 21 
 
 Factors affecting the price of flaxseed 22 
 
 Acknowledgments 23 
 
 Appendix of world flax statistics 24 
 
FLAX-MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN IMPERIAL 
 VALLEY, WITH WORLD STATISTICS 1 
 
 WALLACE SULLIVAN, 2 H. LEE LANDERMAN, 3 G. A. CARPENTER 4 
 
 INTRODUCTION 
 
 This bulletin has been prepared for the purpose of presenting to flax 
 growers a summary and an analysis of flax-production costs and man- 
 agement practices in Imperial Valley. In addition, some important facts 
 are presented concerning the products of flax and market facilities. 
 Tables 18 to 29 in the Appendix contain data on production, supplies, 
 imports, exports, and prices for the United States and the world. 
 
 In 1935, in cooperation with flax growers in the Imperial Valley, the 
 Agricultural Extension Service of the University of California began 
 a study of costs, yields, income, and other factors that determine effi- 
 ciency in the production of flax. This enterprise-efficiency study covers 
 a period of five years, 1935 to 1939, inclusive. The number of records 
 each year varied from 15 to 20 covering an acreage of 1,882 to 3,620. A 
 total of 85 records covering 13,784 acres is included in the five-year 
 period. The data in tables 3 to 14, inclusive, are compiled from records 
 kept by the growers cooperating on a voluntary basis and turned in to 
 the local farm advisor's office. These records are not presented as an 
 average for the industry and hence may not be a true cross section, and 
 the profits and incomes are probably considerably higher than those of 
 the average producer. This is indicated by the greater average yield 
 per acre for those records in the study than the average yield of the state 
 (see table 2). The yearly average yield for the records in the study 
 ranged from 5.0 to 13.9 bushels per acre higher than the state average 
 for the corresponding years. 
 
 BRIEF HISTORY OF FLAX IN CALIFORNIA 
 
 In 1915 the California Agricultural Experiment Station in cooperation 
 with the United States Department of Agriculture began experimenting 
 with flax at several stations in the state. These experiments indicated that 
 flax could be grown with a fair degree of success, but primarily because 
 of better prices for other crops, no commercial plantings of importance 
 
 1 Received for publication March 18, 1940. 
 
 2 Specialist in Agricultural Extension. 
 
 3 Assistant in Agricultural Extension. 
 
 4 Assistant in Agricultural Extension and Associate on the Giannini Foundation ; 
 resigned January 16, 1940. 
 
 L 3 ] 
 
4 University of California — -Experiment Station 
 
 were made as a result of these experiments. The recent commercial pro- 
 duction of flax in the state is the outgrowth of experiments begun in 
 1927 at the Imperial Valley Field Station at Meloland. Many varieties 
 of flax were tested, and the Punjab variety stood out as superior to all 
 others. 
 
 In 1930 a plot of this variety at the Imperial Valley Field Station 
 yielded 28.5 bushels per acre. In 1931 the seed from 2 acres was distrib- 
 uted to a few farmers in the Valley who harvested 110 acres in 1932 and 
 350 acres in 1933. 
 
 Several factors have contributed to the recent rapid expansion of 
 commercial flax production in California: (1) The Punjab variety has 
 been developed and has demonstrated its adaptability to Imperial Valley 
 conditions and to other parts of the state. (2) The relatively low price 
 of other grains has encouraged flax production. (3) Cottonseed-oil mills, 
 which are located in the cotton-growing areas throughout the state, are 
 readily available for use in crushing the oil from flaxseed. Inasmuch as 
 flaxseed is harvested during May, June, and July, these mills may be 
 employed during a period when there is little demand for crushing cot- 
 tonseed. (4) The tillage and harvesting equipment 5 needed for growing 
 flax is practically the same as that needed for producing small grains; 
 consequently, very little additional equipment or change in old equip- 
 ment is required. 
 
 Acreage and Yields. — In 1934, 11,000 acres of flax were planted in the 
 Imperial Valley yielding 242,000 bushels, with an average yield of 22 
 bushels per acre. In 1935 Imperial Valley increased its acreage to 23,500 ; 
 the south San Joaquin Valley counties of Fresno, Kings, Kern, Tulare, 
 and Madera planted approximately 9,600 acres ; and all other counties, 
 4,900 acres. Acreage steadily increased throughout these areas to reach 
 an estimated total for the 1939 crop of 108,000 acres with a production 
 of 1,728,000 bushels (table 1). For the crop harvested in 1939, Fresno 
 County led with an acreage estimated at 46,000 ; Imperial was second 
 with 42,000 acres ; and San Joaquin, third with 4,500 acres. In 1939 Cali- 
 fornia ranked third (see table 23) among the states in the production of 
 flaxseed, being exceeded only by Minnesota and North Dakota. 
 
 Average Yield per Acre. — The average yield per acre of flaxseed in 
 California is considerably higher than in the United States as a whole 
 (see table 22). For the six-year period 1934-1939, the average yield per 
 acre in bushels ranged from 14.0 in 1936 to 22.0 in 1934. The average for 
 the United States during the same period ranged from 5.0 bushels in 
 1936 to 8.6 in 1938 (table 2) . 
 
 5 Division of Agricultural Engineering, Division of Agronomy, and Agricultural 
 Extension Service. Flax harvesting investigations, 1939. Univ. California Col. Agr., 
 Agr. Engin. Inform. Scr. No. 17:1-9, A-L. 1940. (Mimeo.) 
 
Bul. 641] 
 
 Flax-Management Practices 
 
 < w 
 
 O 
 
 
 «-5 
 
 O IT) 
 
 o us us o 
 
 
 §3 
 
 o oo as 1 oo 
 
 
 CO -f US I CM 
 
 
 ~ 3 
 
 OO N f 
 
 
 £ 
 
 XI 
 
 
 1 »H 
 
 05 
 
 CO 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 OS 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 O OS 
 
 © 03 
 
 O t^ CO 1 O 
 
 
 -< o3 
 
 (N -H ■* OO 
 
 
 -* US r- 
 
 4 1 2 
 
 
 o"S 
 
 O OS 1- 
 
 o 
 
 
 £•£ 
 
 Tt< US "1 
 
 
 
 °. 03 
 
 CO »-l O 00 
 
 
 ~H 3 
 
 CM CO t- 
 
 co 
 
 
 £1 
 
 
 
 00 
 
 
 
 
 CO 
 05 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 •H 
 
 
 
 
 
 o S 
 
 O OS i- 
 
 o 
 
 
 »-' 03 
 
 (N CD S CO 
 
 
 
 CO 
 
 
 o"a3 
 
 US -<J< r- 
 
 o 
 
 
 S-fl 
 
 ■* n a 
 
 © 
 
 
 - 2 
 
 t- CO Tt 
 
 CO 
 
 
 
 CO i-H >- 
 
 CO 
 
 
 ,0 
 
 
 
 t~- 
 
 
 
 
 co 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 §£ 
 
 ■* O cc 
 
 o 
 
 
 °- o 
 
 ~H 00 C 
 
 o 
 
 
 -H 03 
 
 <M l- 
 
 >* 
 
 
 CO 
 
 o oi i- 
 
 
 
 o a) 
 
 
 o 
 
 
 2-fi 
 
 •>*< us a 
 
 ■ 
 
 
 o^ 
 
 o as oc 
 
 oo 
 
 
 
 CO ^H 
 
 oo 
 us 
 
 co 
 
 
 
 
 eo 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 O 03 
 
 o 35 
 
 O ■*< cc 
 
 o 
 
 
 
 C35 -<*< OC 
 
 CM 
 
 
 
 
 
 03 
 
 O 0) 
 
 lO OO h 
 
 o 
 
 
 II 
 
 OS O CT 
 
 o 
 
 
 O) (N -t 
 
 t^ 
 
 
 
 CO r-> 
 
 US 
 
 US 
 
 ~.fl 
 
 
 
 CO 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 "" H 
 
 
 
 
 
 O 03 
 O ?3 
 
 US CO CT 
 
 o 
 
 
 51 
 
 M O) Tt 
 
 
 
 CM 
 
 CO 
 
 
 03 
 
 
 
 
 o"a3 
 
 <M 
 
 CM 
 
 
 s-s 
 
 £ 1 1 
 
 
 
 r-T 3 
 
 
 
 •*f 
 
 X 
 
 
 
 CO 
 
 
 
 
 CT> 
 
 
 
 
 ,_l 
 
 
 
 
 
 O 03 
 O 03 
 
 i— • 1 1 
 
 
 
 rH 1 1 
 
 JH 
 
 
 rH 03 
 
 
 
 
 03 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 03 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ol 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 O 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 •3 2 
 
 
 
 
 3 
 O 
 
 O 
 
 
 cr '43 
 
 
 
 
 
 8 B 
 ^ C 
 
 a. 
 
 
 
 
 
 s 
 
 
 
 — 03 
 
 03 
 
 
 
 03 tVQ a 
 
 
 
 
 £ o 
 
 3 
 
 
 
 o 
 
 
 
 H 
 
 
 
 
 X 
 
 <r 
 
 
 
 .H S 
 
 " M 13 
 
 g « .2 
 
 -^ 03 a* 
 
 £ £ 03 
 
 fi fe Q 
 
 2 o 
 o 3 
 
 g O 
 
 3 
 
6 University of California — Experiment Station 
 
 METHOD OF CONDUCTING ENTERPRISE-EFFICIENCY 
 
 STUDIES 
 
 The flax enterprise-efficiency study in Imperial County, begun in 1935, 
 was conducted by the county farm advisor in cooperation with flax grow- 
 ers who volunteered to provide accurate and detailed records of costs, 
 yields, income, hours of man labor and tractor w T ork required for each 
 operation, kinds and quantities of materials used, and dates of per- 
 formance of the operations. Such records were reported on blank forms 
 furnished by the farm advisor. Such an individual record may comprise 
 
 TABLE 2 
 
 Average Yield of Flaxseed Per Acre in California 
 and the United States, 1934-1939 
 
 Year 
 
 ImperialValley 
 
 records in 
 
 study 
 
 California 
 
 United States 
 
 1934 
 
 1935 
 
 bushels 
 
 21.2 
 19.0 
 22.4 
 26.6 
 29.9 
 
 bushels 
 22.0 
 15.0 
 14 
 16.5 
 19.0 
 16.0 
 
 bushels 
 5.7 
 6.9 
 
 1936 
 
 5.0 
 
 1937 
 
 7.6 
 
 1938 
 
 8.6 
 
 1939f 
 
 7.6 
 
 
 
 * Dashes indicate data not available, 
 t Preliminary estimate. 
 Source of data: 
 
 United States Department of Agriculture Bureau of Agricultural Economics. 
 General crop report. December issues. (Mimeo.) 
 
 the operator's entire farm business or be only a part of it. Generally 
 these records were only a part of the farm business. A few of the cooper- 
 ators, however, provided more than one record, the records being on 
 land farmed under different conditions. Since participation was on a 
 voluntary basis, the records obtained may not be a true cross section of 
 the flax industry in the Imperial Valley. Probably the records in this 
 study are better than the average, since participation would be more 
 readily expected of growers with above-average managerial ability. In 
 fact, records in this study show an average yield per acre higher than 
 the county average. 
 
 As each year of an enterprise-efficiency study was completed, each 
 cooperator received a detailed analysis of his costs, yield, income, and 
 management practices together with a mimeographed summary of all 
 records. Strong and weak spots in management practices of the coop- 
 erators were shown by comparison with other records and with the 
 average of all records. 
 
Bul. 641 J Flax-Management Practices 7 
 
 EXPLANATION OF TERMS USED IN FLAX 
 ENTERPRISE-EFFICIENCY STUDY 
 
 Total income is the result of the yield times the price at the place where 
 the ownership of the commodity is transferred to the buyer. 
 
 Total costs include all costs incurred by the operator up to the time 
 and place of sale of the product. In a few cases the sale was made at the 
 farm. In such instances no charge was made for hauling or recleaning, 
 although a deduction was made for dockage. Out of the total of 85 records 
 34 were on rented land, either on a share or cash basis. In these cases the 
 landowner paid a portion or all of the irrigation-water costs and occa- 
 sionally furnished or paid for other items. Such items furnished by the 
 landowners were not included as a part of the operator's cost. The rental 
 basis varied in proportion to the amount of the items furnished by the 
 landowner. These items of cost are finally charged against the enter- 
 prise in the item of rent. 
 
 Labor costs include all hired and contract labor and the labor per- 
 formed by the operator. No charge was made for management. Field 
 power was charged at an hourly rate which included interest on invest- 
 ment, depreciation, repairs, insurance, taxes, storage, and servicing as 
 well as operating costs. Cultural labor costs include all labor costs and 
 field power incurred by the operator up to the time of harvesting. Har- 
 vesting labor includes all costs from the beginning of harvest until the 
 product is sold. 
 
 Material costs are the costs to the operator of irrigation water, seed, 
 sacks, twine, fertilizer, and miscellaneous items. Cash-overhead costs con- 
 sist in taxes, interest on operating capital, insurance, and other minor 
 cash costs. Depreciation costs represent the charges made against the 
 equipment and improvements which are owned by the operator and not 
 charged in other costs at an hourly rate. They do not include deprecia- 
 tion costs on equipment hired or used in contracted work. Interest at 5 
 per cent is charged on the capital investment. Rent is the amount in cash 
 or the value of the share of the crop paid by the operator. 
 
 Management income is the difference between all costs and total in- 
 come. Capital and management income is management income plus the 
 charge made for interest on capital investment and rent. 
 
 YIELD, INCOME, AND COSTS 
 
 Table 3 presents a general summary of yield, income, and costs per acre 
 and per bushel, with averages of the records for each year, and a general 
 average for the five years. The 85 records included in this study averaged 
 162 acres each with an average yield of 23.0 bushels of recleaned seed 
 
8 University op California — Experiment Station 
 
 per acre. Dockage averaged 2.0 bushels per acre, which makes a total 
 average of 25 bushels per acre of field-run flax. The average price re- 
 ceived by the grower per bushel of recleaned seed ranged from $1.67 to 
 $2.17, with an average of $1.91. If the income from the sale of dockage 
 and straw is added, the total average income per bushel of recleaned flax- 
 seed for all records is $2.02. The total of all costs is $1.43 per bushel, 
 which leaves a management income of $0.59 per bushel. The average total 
 income per acre for all records is $46.48, the costs are $32.91, which leaves 
 a management income of $13.57. Capital and management income per 
 acre, that is, without considering interest on capital investment or rent 
 on land as a cost, averaged $22.64. 
 
 TABLE 3 
 
 General Summary of Flax Enterprise-Efficiency-Study Records, 
 Imperial Valley, 1935-1939 
 
 
 1935 
 
 1936 
 
 1937 
 
 1938 
 
 1939 
 
 5-year 
 average 
 
 
 16 
 2,743 
 
 20 
 3,620 
 
 17 
 
 3,197 
 
 17 
 2,340 
 
 15 
 
 1,882 
 
 85* 
 
 Total acres 
 
 13,784* 
 
 Average number acres per record 
 
 171 
 
 181 
 
 188 
 
 138 
 
 125 
 
 162 
 
 Average yield per acre: 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Flaxseed, recleaned, bushels 
 
 21.2 
 
 19.0 
 
 22.4 
 
 26.6 
 
 29.9 
 
 23 
 
 Dockage and other seeds, bushels. . . . 
 
 3.5 
 
 2.8 
 
 2.1 
 
 0.9 
 
 0.8 
 
 2.0 
 
 Total field run, bushels 
 
 24.7 
 
 21.8 
 
 24.5 
 
 27.5 
 
 30.7 
 
 25.0 
 
 Straw harvested for fiber, tons 
 
 0.0 
 
 0.0 
 
 0.46 
 
 0.84 
 
 0.70 
 
 0.06 
 
 Income and costs in dollars per 
 
 Income: 
 
 Flaxseed, recleaned 
 
 Dockage and other seeds . 
 Straw 
 
 Total income. 
 
 Costs: 
 
 Cultural labor and field power 
 Harvest labor and field power. 
 
 Materials, water, seed, etc 
 
 Cash overhead, taxes, etc 
 
 Total cash costs 
 
 Depreciation on improvements and 
 equipment 
 
 Total cash and depreciation . . . 
 Interest on investment and rent. 
 
 Total all costs 
 
 Management income 
 
 Capital and management income. 
 
 35.52 
 
 38.38 
 
 48.46 
 
 48.50 
 
 53.16 
 
 1.52 
 
 0.94 
 
 1.22 
 
 0.41 
 
 0.27 
 
 00 
 
 00 
 
 0.84 
 
 4.48 
 
 5.09 
 
 37.04 
 
 39.32 
 
 50.52 
 
 53.39 
 
 58.52 
 
 7.79 
 
 5.91 
 
 7.48 
 
 8.23 
 
 8.15 
 
 7.74 
 
 6.54 
 
 8.51 
 
 9.08 
 
 11.64 
 
 4.94 
 
 4.48 
 
 6.17 
 
 6.37 
 
 7.47 
 
 2 31 
 
 2.03 
 
 2.18 
 
 2.02 
 
 2.66 
 
 22.78 
 
 18.96 
 
 24 34 
 
 25.70 
 
 29.92 
 
 14 
 22.92 
 
 16 
 
 34 
 
 0.22 
 
 30 
 
 19.12 
 
 24.68 
 
 25.92 
 
 30.22 
 
 6.25 
 
 7.26 
 
 10.69 
 
 12.60 
 
 9.52 
 
 29.17 
 
 26.38 
 
 35.37 
 
 38.52 
 
 39.74 
 
 7.87 
 
 12.94 
 
 15.15 
 
 14.87 
 
 18.78 
 
 14.12 
 
 20.20 
 
 26.11 
 
 27.47 
 
 28.30 
 
 43.89 
 0.94 
 1.65 
 
 46.48 
 
 7.35 
 
 8.56 
 5.69 
 2.21 
 
 23 61 
 
 0.23 
 
 23.84 
 9.07 
 
 32.91 
 
 13.57 
 22.64 
 
 Five-year total, not five-year average. 
 
 (Concluded on next page.) 
 
Bul. 641] 
 
 Flax-Management Practices 
 
 TABLE 3— (Concluded) 
 
 General Summary of Flax Enterprise-Efficiency-Study Records, 
 Imperial Valley, 1935-1939 
 
 1935 
 
 1936 
 
 1937 
 
 1938 
 
 1939 
 
 5-year 
 average 
 
 Income and costs in dollars per bushelf (except income for straw) 
 
 Income: 
 
 Flaxseed, recleaned 
 
 Dockage and other seeds 
 
 Straw, per ton 
 
 Total income} 
 
 Costs: 
 
 Cultural labor and field power 
 
 Harvest labor and field power 
 
 Materials, water, seed, etc 
 
 Cash overhead, taxes, etc 
 
 Total cash costs 
 
 Depreciation on improvements an 
 equipment 
 
 Total cash and depreciation .... 
 Interest on investment and rent. . 
 
 Total all costs 
 
 Management income 
 
 Capital and management income. . . 
 
 1.67 
 
 2.02 
 
 2.17 
 
 1.81 
 
 1.77 
 
 0.43 
 
 34 
 
 0.58 
 
 0.48 
 
 0.34 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.00 
 
 5.54 
 
 7.20 
 
 7.20 
 
 1.74 
 
 2.07 
 
 2.26 
 
 1.99 
 
 1.95 
 
 0.37 
 
 0.31 
 
 0.33 
 
 0.31 
 
 37 
 
 0.38 
 
 0.35 
 
 0.38 
 
 0.34 
 
 0.39 
 
 0.23 
 
 0.23 
 
 0.28 
 
 0.24 
 
 0.25 
 
 0.11 
 
 0.11 
 
 0.10 
 
 0.07 
 
 0.09 
 
 1 09 
 
 1.00 
 
 1.09 
 
 0.96 
 
 1.00 
 
 0.01 
 
 0.01 
 
 0.02 
 
 01 
 
 0.01 
 
 1.10 
 
 1.01 
 
 1.11 
 
 0.97 
 
 1.01 
 
 0.27 
 
 0.38 
 
 47 
 
 0.47 
 
 0.32 
 
 1 37 
 
 1.39 
 
 1.58 
 
 1.44 
 
 1.33 
 
 0.37 
 
 0.68 
 
 0.68 
 
 0.55 
 
 0.62 
 
 0.64 
 
 1.06 
 
 1.15 
 
 1.02 
 
 0.94 
 
 1.91 
 0.47 
 6.15 
 2.02 
 
 0.32 
 0.36 
 0.25 
 0.10 
 
 1.03 
 
 0.01 
 
 1.04 
 0.39 
 
 1.43 
 0.59 
 
 0.98 
 
 t Bushel of flax is 56 pounds. 
 
 t Income from straw and dockage and other seeds converted to equivalent per bushel of recleaned 
 flaxseed in calculating total income. 
 
 Table 3 emphasizes the importance of high yield per acre in relation 
 to costs per bushel. Certain costs per acre are relatively fixed regardless 
 of yield. Interest on investment, taxes, certain tillage operations, and 
 seed are examples of costs which would be approximately the same on 
 land yielding 10 bushels as on land yielding 20 bushels. These fixed costs 
 would be twice as great per bushel on the land yielding 10 bushels as on 
 that yielding 20 bushels. Hence, the cost per bushel is usually lower 
 where yields are better than average. The costs in this table are grouped 
 into major items of cultural and harvest labor, material, cash overhead, 
 depreciation on improvements and equipment, and interest and rent. 
 These major items are analyzed in detail in subsequent tables. 
 
 PERCENTAGE DISTRIBUTION OF COSTS 
 
 The relative importance of cost factors and sources of income on a per- 
 centage basis is shown in table 4. 
 
 All man labor and field power represent 47.8 per cent of all costs, 
 which are divided almost equally between cultural and harvest labor. 
 
10 
 
 University of California — Experiment Station 
 
 The average cost of land, improvements, and equipment, calculated at 
 5 per cent of its value or charged as rent actually paid, represents 27.6 
 per cent of all costs. All materials used represent 17.3 per cent, cash over- 
 head 6.7 per cent, and depreciation, 0.6 per cent. 
 
 The income from recleaned flaxseed represents 94.4 per cent of all in- 
 come, and dockage and straw, 5.6 per cent. 
 
 DETAILED COSTS AND INPUTS OF PRODUCTION FACTORS 
 
 Seedbed Preparation. — The methods of preparing the land for seeding 
 will depend on the previous crop, the kind and abundance of weeds, and 
 
 TABLE 4 
 Percentage Distribution of Costs and Income for Flax 
 
 
 Percentage 
 of total 
 
 Costs : 
 All cultural labor and field power 
 
 22.4 
 25.4 
 
 
 
 
 47.8 
 
 Interest on investment and rent (combined average) 
 
 27.6 
 17.3 
 
 
 6.7 
 
 Depreciation charges on improvement and equipment 
 
 0.6 
 
 Total 
 
 100.0 
 
 Income: 
 
 94.4 
 
 
 5.6 
 
 
 
 Total ... 
 
 100.0 
 
 
 
 the texture of the soil. Plowing may not be necessary if the land was pre- 
 viously in a clean-cultivated annual crop, such as sugar beets, beans, 
 lettuce, or cantaloupes. Land in alfalfa or other perennial crops or cov- 
 ered with weeds or considerable crop refuse is usually plowed. 
 
 The enterprise-efficiency studies indicate that 85 per cent of the co- 
 operators plowed the land before seeding. Generally the plowing was 
 performed with tractor and disk plows. These studies indicate that ap- 
 proximately 1.2 hours of man labor were required to plow 1 acre at an 
 average cost for all records of $2.33 per acre (table 5) . 
 
 After plowing is completed, borders are made and the land is irrigated. 
 This irrigation settles the soil, germinates weed seed, and supplies mois- 
 ture to maintain the flax for several weeks. When the soil is dry enough 
 after the preplanting irrigation, the land is mulched to a depth of about 
 2 inches. Operations necessary to do this may consist in light disking, 
 
Bul. 641] 
 
 Flax-Management Practices 
 
 11 
 
 and some- 
 
 shallow knifing or harrowing, and light floating or draggin 
 times rolling or cultipacking. 
 
 Frequently, growers accomplish both mulching and seeding operations 
 by combining all necessary implements into one tandem outfit — for ex- 
 ample, a tractor pulling a light disk or spring-tooth harrow equipped 
 
 TABLE 5 
 
 Average Costs of Seedbed Preparation Per Acre of Man Labor and 
 Field Power * 1935-1939 
 
 Operations! 
 
 1935 
 
 1936 
 
 1937 
 
 1938 
 
 1939 
 
 5-year 
 average 
 
 Plowing 
 
 All other preparation 
 
 dollars 
 3.05 
 
 1.88 
 
 dollars 
 1.73 
 1.62 
 
 dollars 
 2.44 
 2.20 
 
 dollars 
 2.36 
 2.75 
 
 dollars 
 2.30 
 2.14 
 
 dollars 
 2.33 
 2.01 
 
 Total average costs per acref . 
 
 4.93 
 
 3.35 
 
 4.32 
 
 4.54 
 
 4.94 
 
 4.31 
 
 * The cost of field power includes contract work, and in case the operator owned his own field power, 
 a charge was made sufficient to cover interest on investment and depreciation as well as operating costs. 
 
 t The costs per acre for each operation is the average cost for the acres on which that operation was 
 performed; hence, the total average cost per acre is not the sum of the individual items. 
 
 with sweep knives, followed by a seed drill to which is attached a light 
 drag or cultipacker. This serves to decrease cost of operations, saves 
 time, and conserves vital soil moisture, since no time elapses between 
 operations for drying out. 
 
 The number of times necessary to go over the land in preparing the 
 
 TABLE 6 
 
 Operations in Seedbed Preparation of Flax, 1935-1939 
 
 
 1935 
 
 1936 
 
 1937 
 
 1938 
 
 1939 
 
 
 16 
 14 
 2 
 
 * 
 
 3 
 
 10 
 
 6 
 
 20 
 
 19 
 
 1 
 
 1-5 
 
 7 
 
 16 
 4 
 
 17 
 14 
 3 
 
 1-4 
 
 8 
 
 16 
 1 
 
 17 
 13 
 4 
 
 3-6 
 4 
 
 16 
 
 1 
 
 15 
 
 Number of records reporting plowing 
 
 Number of records reporting no plowing. 
 Range in number of diskings, 
 
 11 
 
 4 
 
 4-9 
 
 Number reporting flax as preceding crop. 
 Number reporting irrigating before 
 planting 
 
 7 
 15 
 
 Number reporting no irrigating before 
 
 
 
 
 
 * Dashes indicate data not available. 
 
 seedbed varied greatly (table 6), according to the condition of the soil 
 and kind of field power and tillage tools used. The records show a range 
 of from one to six times. The cost per acre varied accordingly. The aver- 
 age of all records for the five-year period was $2.01 per acre (table 5) 
 and required an average of about 1 hour of labor per acre. 
 
12 
 
 University of California — Experiment Station 
 
 The average cost of all seedbed preparation, not including the man 
 labor of irrigation, for all records was $4.31 per acre (table 5) . The input 
 of man labor and tractor averaged about 2.2 hours per acre. 
 
 Seeding. — Seeding with a grain drill is the preferred method. Broad- 
 casting is not recommended because the seed can neither be evenly dis- 
 
 TABLE 7 
 
 Average Costs of Seeding Per Acre of Man Labor and 
 
 Field Power, 1935-1939 
 
 Operations 
 
 1935 
 
 1936 
 
 1937 
 
 1938 
 
 1939 
 
 5-year 
 average 
 
 Drilling in seed 
 
 dollars 
 75 
 
 25 
 
 dollars 
 72 
 
 0.22 
 
 0.94 
 
 dollars 
 0.77 ) 
 
 0.17 J 
 
 0.94 
 
 dollars 
 1.09 
 
 dollars 
 0.95 
 
 0.95 
 
 dollars 
 ( 0.83 
 
 ( 0.21 
 
 
 
 Total average costs per acre. 
 
 1.00 
 
 1.09 
 
 1 04 
 
 tributed nor covered at a uniform depth, and also because more seed is 
 required per acre than by drilling to obtain an equal stand. Usually no 
 tillage operations are performed after seeding because of the danger of 
 covering the seed too deep or disturbing the young plants. The average 
 cost of seeding per acre for the five-year period, as shown in table 7, is 
 
 TABLE 8 
 Amounts of Seed Used and Dates of Planting, 1935-1939 
 
 
 1935 
 
 1936 
 
 1937 
 
 1938 
 
 1939 
 
 5-year 
 average 
 
 Number of records in study 
 
 Range in number of pounds of seed 
 
 16 
 
 35-60 
 
 42 
 
 
 1 
 
 7 
 5 
 
 20 
 
 35-50 
 
 43 
 
 
 4 
 5 
 
 8 
 
 1 
 
 17 
 
 22-50 
 
 43 
 
 
 4 
 2 
 
 
 
 
 
 17 
 
 33-52 
 
 43 
 
 1 
 
 7 
 7 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 15 
 
 30-50 
 
 40 
 
 
 4 
 
 n 
 
 2j 
 
 
 85* 
 22-60 
 
 Average number of pounds of seed 
 
 planted 
 
 Number of records in study plantingf: 
 
 43 
 1* 
 
 
 20* 
 
 November 1-November 15 | 
 
 41* 
 
 November 15-December 1 J 
 
 6* 
 
 
 
 * Five-year total, not five-year average. 
 t Planting data not reported on all records. 
 
 $0.83 per acre. Other miscellaneous costs, such as hauling seed, etc., aver- 
 age $0.21 per acre, which makes a total of $1.04 per acre. 
 
 The average amount of seed used per acre in all records was 43 pounds, 
 ranging from 22 to 60 pounds. Table 8 indicates growers prefer the period 
 October 15 to November 15 as the most satisfactory time for planting. 
 
Bul. 641] 
 
 Flax-Management Practices 
 
 13 
 
 Irrigation. — Irrigation labor consists of ditch work, preparation of 
 borders, and the application of irrigation water. Ditch work usually con- 
 sists in cleaning debris from ditches and making minor repairs. The 
 average cost for this work for the five-year period was $0.25 per acre. 
 Borders for irrigation checks are made before planting and are used 
 
 TABLE 9 
 
 Average Irrigation" Costs Per Acre of Man Labor and 
 
 Field Power, 1935-1939 
 
 Operations 
 
 1935 
 
 1936 
 
 1937 
 
 1938 
 
 1939 
 
 5-year 
 average 
 
 Irrigation ditch and 
 miscellaneous 
 
 Borders 
 
 Applying water 
 
 dollars 
 
 0.45 
 
 0.47 
 1.22 
 
 dollars 
 
 0.38 
 
 35 
 1.18 
 
 dollars 
 
 0.171 
 
 \ 
 
 0.46 J 
 1.77 
 
 dollars 
 
 0.67 
 1.38 
 
 dollars 
 
 f0.55 
 
 [0.40 
 1.27 
 
 dollars 
 
 0.25 
 
 0.40 
 1.38 
 
 Total average irrigation 
 labor 
 
 2.14 
 
 1.91 
 
 2.40 
 
 2.05 
 
 2.22 
 
 2.03 
 
 without further attention throughout the growing season. The average 
 cost for this operation was $0.40 per acre for the records in the study 
 (table 9) . The usual contract price was $0.50 per acre. 
 The labor of applying irrigation water shows an average cost of $1.38 
 
 TABLE 10 
 Irrigation Inputs op Labor and Materials, 1935-1939 
 
 
 1935 
 
 1936 
 
 1937 
 
 1938 
 
 1939 
 
 5-year 
 average 
 
 Number of records in study 
 
 Number of cooperators in the study who 
 
 irrigated land before planting 
 
 Number who did not irrigate before 
 
 16 
 
 10 
 
 6 
 
 4 
 
 3-6 
 
 12-40 
 
 22.0 
 
 4.4 
 
 3.4 
 
 20 
 
 16 
 
 4 
 
 5 
 
 3-6 
 
 14-49 
 
 25 
 
 4.2 
 
 1.1 
 
 17 
 
 16 
 
 1 
 
 5 
 
 3-7 
 
 20-41 
 
 27.0 
 
 4.5 
 
 0.8 
 
 17 
 
 16 
 
 1 
 
 5 
 
 3-8 
 17-47 
 
 27.0 
 4.5 
 1.4 
 
 15 
 15 
 
 
 5 
 
 5-8 
 18-37 
 
 24.5 
 4.0 
 —t 
 
 85* 
 73* 
 12* 
 
 Average number of irrigations after 
 
 5 
 
 
 3-8 
 
 Range in acre-inches per acre applied . . . 
 
 12-47 
 25.2 
 
 Average acre-inches per application. . . . 
 
 4.3 
 2.7§ 
 
 
 
 * Five-year total, not five-year average. 
 
 t Annual summaries of climatological data for California, United States Weather Bureau. 
 
 X Dash indicates data not available. § Thirty-year average. 
 
 per acre (table 9) . This, of course, varied from ranch to ranch and from 
 year to year according to the amount of water applied, the number of 
 applications, and the amount of rainfall during the growing season. 
 Table 10 shows quantities used and number of applications during this 
 period and indicates to some degree the changes that took place. 
 
14 
 
 University of California — Experiment Station 
 
 In the 1935 study 6 out of 16 growers did not irrigate before seeding, 
 while in 1939 all records show preplanting irrigation. The average num- 
 ber of irrigations after planting for all records for the five-year period 
 was 5. The variations in number of all irrigations ranged from 3 to 8 
 (table 10). 
 
 The average amount of water applied for all records was 25.2 acre- 
 inches per acre. The amount varied from 12 to 47 acre-inches. The amount 
 applied per irrigation averaged 4.3 acre-inches per acre. The average an- 
 nual rainfall over a thirty-year period for the United States "Weather 
 Bureau Station at Brawley, was 2.7 inches. 
 
 Harvesting Flaxseed. — The most common practice in the harvesting 
 of flaxseed is the direct-combine method, provided the flax is thoroughly 
 ripe, dry, and free from green weeds. If the field contains weeds that 
 remain green after the flax is ripe, the windrower is used. A pickup at- 
 tachment is then used on the combine. 
 
 Table 11 presents the average cost per acre by years, as reported by 
 the cooperators in the study, for the harvesting operations. 
 
 TABLE 11 
 
 Average Costs of Harvesting Flaxseed Per Acre of Man Labor and 
 Field Power, 1935-1939 
 
 Operations* 
 
 1935 
 
 1936 
 
 1937 
 
 1938 
 
 1939 
 
 5-year 
 average 
 
 Windrowing 
 
 dollars 
 1 05 
 5.30 
 0.76 
 1.36 
 
 dollars 
 0.59 
 4.78 
 1.03 
 0.71 
 
 dollars 
 0.80 
 4.54 
 2.00 
 1.01 
 
 dollars 
 0.84 
 5.16 
 1.54 
 1.14 
 
 dollars 
 0.90 
 4.52 
 2.87 
 1.40 
 
 dollars 
 0.82 
 4.86 
 
 
 1.62 
 
 Recleaning 
 
 1.17 
 
 Total average harvesting 
 
 7.74 
 
 6.54 
 
 7.81 
 
 6.65 
 
 7.81 
 
 7.32 
 
 
 
 * Costs per acre only on acres involved; hence, the total average cost is not the sum of the orig- 
 inal items. 
 
 The average cost of windrowing varied from $0.59 to $1.05 per acre, 
 with an average of $0.82. The usual contract price per acre varied from 
 $1.25 to $1.50. The average cost of combining varied from $4.50 to $5.30, 
 with an average of $4.86. The usual contract price is $5.00 per acre. If 
 yields are considerably above the average or the fields are unusually 
 difficult to harvest, higher rates are charged. The cost of hauling de- 
 pends upon the distance from field to selling point. The contract price 
 varies from $1.00 to $3.75 per ton. The usual charge for recleaning was 
 $0.10 per hundredweight. 
 
 Materials. — The average cost per acre of materials used in the produc- 
 tion of flax by the cooperators in the enterprise-efficiency study is shown 
 
Bul. 641] 
 
 Flax-Management Practices 
 
 15 
 
 in table 12. Irrigation water is the largest single item. The amount used 
 averaged a little over 2 acre-feet per acre. The costs are made up of the 
 irrigation-district tax (varied from $2.40 to $4.65 per $100.00 assessed 
 valuation), $0.50 per acre-foot of water used, and $0.25 per day for gate 
 charge. The average amount of seed used for all records was 43 pounds 
 per acre (table 8), and the usual price for good, selected seed was $0.05 
 per pound. The actual cash costs of sacks and twine to the cooperator 
 varied considerably, the cost depending upon who furnished them. The 
 costs of new sacks ranged from $0,075 to $0.09 each, and twine, $0.75 
 to $0.90 per pound. 
 
 TABLE 12 
 Average Cost Per Acre* of Materials and Supplies, 1935-1939 
 
 
 1935 
 
 1936 
 
 1937 
 
 1938 
 
 1939 
 
 5-year 
 average 
 
 
 dollars 
 2.61 
 1.80 
 0.55 
 
 1 
 
 dollars 
 2.52 
 1.69 
 0.27 
 2.25 
 
 dollars 
 3.96 
 2.06 
 0.24 
 0.39 
 
 dollars 
 2.87 
 2.08 
 1.03 
 0.37 
 
 dollars 
 3.08 
 1.95 
 1.40 
 3.24 
 
 dollars 
 3 01 
 
 Seed 
 
 1.92 
 
 
 0.70 
 
 Miscellaneous, fertilizer, etc . 
 
 
 Total average all materials . . 
 
 4.94 
 
 4.48 
 
 6.17 
 
 6.37 
 
 7.47 
 
 5.89 
 
 * The cost per acre for each item is the average for the acres involved; hence, the total average cost is 
 not the sum of the individual items. 
 
 t Dashes indicate data not available. 
 
 The use of commercial fertilizer was not a general practice. Super- 
 phosphate, ammonium sulphate, and liquid ammonia were the kinds re- 
 ported. The data were insufficient to indicate statistically whether or not 
 it paid to use fertilizer. The growing of a green-manure crop was a com- 
 mon practice, particularly on land where flax followed flax. Sesbania 
 (Sesbania macrocarpa) , also known as "wild hemp," is the most satisfac- 
 tory summer covercrop in Imperial Valley. Usually yields are from 10 
 green tons to an extreme of 24 tons per acre, with an average of approxi- 
 mately 15 tons. Sesbania generally develops to sufficient maturity for 
 turning under in from 55 to 60 days from the time of seeding. 
 
 Harvesting Flax Straw. — After the seed is harvested, the flax straw is 
 raked, baled, and hauled to the fiber mill. Before the establishment of the 
 fiber mill in El Centro in 1937, there was no market for the straw. It was 
 usually disposed of by burning and plowing under. The straw, in order 
 to be acceptable to the mill, must be free from weeds. The average yield 
 of straw for the records in the enterprise-efficiency study was about 0.7 
 ton per acre. The Southwest Flaxseed Association reports that some 
 fields yield more than 2 tons of straw per acre. 
 
 Table 13 presents costs and income from straw per acre and per ton for 
 the records in the study. The contract price for straw baled and delivered 
 
16 
 
 University of California — Experiment Station 
 
 to the fiber mill for 1938 and 1939 was $7.20 per ton. The average cost of 
 
 harvesting and hauling for the records in the study was $4.62 in 1937, 
 
 $5.26 in 1938, and $4.98 in 1939 (table 13). The net income per ton 
 
 ranged from $1.94 to $2.22. 
 
 TABLE 13 
 
 Average Yield, Income, and Harvesting Costs of Flax Straw Per Acre 
 and Per Ton, 1937-1939 
 
 
 1937 
 
 1938 
 
 1939 
 
 Number of records in the study 
 
 Number of records reporting harvesting 
 
 straw 
 
 17 
 6 
 1,061 
 488.0 
 46 
 
 17 
 
 11 
 1,223 
 1,025.2 
 
 0.84 
 
 15 
 
 13 
 
 1.730 
 
 
 1 329 5 
 
 
 70 
 
 
 
 Dollars per acre 
 
 
 3.08 
 2.12 
 
 6.04 
 4.41 
 
 5.09 
 
 
 3.83 
 
 
 
 
 
 0.96 
 
 1.63 
 
 1.26 
 
 
 
 Dollars per ton 
 
 
 6.70 
 4.62 
 
 7.20 
 5.26 
 
 7.20 
 
 
 4.98 
 
 
 
 
 
 2.08 
 
 1.94 
 
 2.22 
 
 
 
 The usual contract prices for performing the operations necessary to 
 harvest the straw for 1939, as reported by the Southwest Flaxseed As- 
 sociation, were as follows : mowing, $0.50 per acre ; raking, $0.50 per 
 
 TABLE 14 
 Rental Costs Per Acre, 1935-1939 
 
 
 Year 
 
 Number 
 of cash 
 renters 
 
 Amount 
 
 paid 
 per acre 
 
 Number of share renters 
 
 Value 
 
 
 \i share 
 of crop 
 
 Yz share 
 of crop 
 
 of share of 
 crop paid 
 
 1935 
 
 1 
 1 
 
 2 
 3 
 
 7 
 
 dollars 
 9.50 
 
 10.00 
 0.00 
 
 18.75 
 
 15.00 
 
 13.31 
 
 6 
 8 
 3 
 3 
 1 
 
 21 
 
 
 
 2 
 4 
 
 
 6 
 
 dollars 
 
 7.75 
 
 1936 
 
 7.89 
 
 1937 
 
 17.32 
 
 1938 
 
 19.94 
 
 1939 
 
 16.41 
 
 5-year average 
 
 or total 
 
 13.86 
 
 acre ; baling, $2.75 per ton ; and hauling to 5 miles, $1.25 per ton, 5 to 10 
 miles $1.35 per ton, and over 10 miles, $1.45 per ton. 
 
 Rental Costs. — Table 14 presents data on rental costs per acre. Seven 
 
Bul. 641] Flax-Management Practices 17 
 
 cooperators in the study paid an average of $13.31 per acre cash rent. 
 Twenty-seven cooperators paid a share of the crop valued at $13.86 per 
 acre. 
 
 The rental basis in 21 records was one-fourth share of the crop and in 
 6 records was one-third share. The landowner paid the irrigation-dis- 
 trict tax and, in a few cases, furnished a portion of the sacks, some equip- 
 ment, or other small items. 
 
 STANDARD COSTS 
 
 Table 15 presents a standard of inputs and costs for flax production in 
 Imperial Valley with an assumed yield of 1,232 pounds, or 22 bushels of 
 recleaned flaxseed plus 120 pounds of dockage. No allowance is made for 
 straw, although uses are being developed which may return a small 
 income above the cost of its removal. Since flax is the only California 
 crop reckoned in bushels, costs are shown on that basis as well as on the 
 hundredweight basis. 
 
 Labor costs shown in table 15 are based on the following hourly rates : 
 man labor, $0.30; 26 drawbar-horsepower tractor, $1.50; 1%-ton truck, 
 $1.50 ; combine engine, $0.75. The combine is assumed to serve 300 acres, 
 the rest of equipment, 200 acres. 
 
 This schedule provides for the cultural care considered necessary for 
 the production of a good yield. Weed competition, being one of the worst 
 problems, is met by two irrigations and cultivations before planting. 
 With adjustments, particularly in water costs, the standard can be made 
 to fit other parts of the state. 
 
 The purpose of table 15 is not to present an average cost but to present 
 
 costs as they would occur under the specified conditions with a fairly 
 
 high standard of efficiency in management. It may be used as a goal or 
 
 standard to which results on individual farms may be compared or as a 
 
 guide for computing probable costs under other conditions or production 
 
 levels. 
 
 PROCESSING AND TRADE 
 
 PRODUCTS OF FLAX 
 
 Flaxseed comes from the combine harvester in sacks of approximately 
 100 pounds. In this form it is called "field-run" flaxseed. It is hauled to 
 the warehouse or oil presses where it is recleaned. The mature oil-bearing 
 seed is separated from all other materials. The material thus removed is 
 called "dockage" and consists of immature and cracked flaxseed, hulls, 
 and chaff from the flax plant, weed seed, volunteer grains, and other for- 
 eign material. This by-product is utilized as a stock feed and is sold direct 
 to feeders or to feed mills that blend it with other feeds. Its feed value 
 varies widely, according to the percentage of cracked seed and volunteer 
 
18 
 
 University of California — Experiment Station 
 
 grains. The market price varies from $8.00 to $20.00 per ton. The per- 
 centage of dockage varies from 3 to 18 per cent. 
 
 The recleaned seed moves to the oil presses where it is separated into 
 two products — raw linseed oil and linseed meal. Linseed oil is the more 
 important of the two products. The percentage of oil for the United 
 
 TABLE 15 
 
 A Standard of Inputs and Costs for Flax Production 
 in the Imperial Valley 
 
 Man labor 
 per acre 
 
 26 hp. 
 tractor 
 
 work 
 per acre 
 
 lK-ton 
 truck 
 work 
 
 per acre 
 
 Cost per 
 acre* 
 
 Cost per 
 hundred- 
 weight 
 
 Cost per 
 bushelf 
 
 Labor costs 
 
 
 hours 
 
 hours 
 
 hours 
 
 dollars 
 
 dollars 
 
 dollars 
 
 Plowing 
 
 1.2 
 
 1.2 
 
 
 2.16 
 
 
 
 Other preplanting tillage. . . 
 
 1.2 
 
 1.2 
 
 
 2.16 
 
 
 
 Border and ditch work 
 
 0.5 
 
 0.5 
 
 
 0.90 
 
 
 
 Planting and mulching 
 
 0.5 
 
 0.4 
 
 0.1 
 
 0.90 
 
 
 
 
 6.0 
 
 
 
 1.80 
 
 0.64 
 
 
 
 
 Total cultural labor 
 
 9.4 
 
 3.3 
 
 0.1 
 
 7.92 
 
 0.36 
 
 Windrowing 
 
 10 
 
 0.5 
 
 
 1 05 
 
 0.09 
 
 0.05 
 
 Combining with pickup. . . . 
 
 4.0 
 
 1.0 
 
 (l.Ocomb.)t 
 
 3.45 
 
 0.28 
 
 16 
 
 
 1.0 
 contract 
 
 4.8 
 
 0,4 
 0.5 
 
 0.90 
 1.35 
 
 0.07 
 0.11 
 
 0.04 
 
 
 06 
 
 
 
 Total labor... 
 
 15.4 
 
 14.67 
 
 1.19 
 
 67 
 
 
 
 Material costs 
 
 Cash-overhead costs 
 
 
 dollars 
 3.60 
 1.60 
 1.07 
 
 dollars 
 0.29 
 0.13 
 0.09 
 
 dollars 
 0.17 
 
 Seed, 40 pounds at $4.00 per hundredweight 
 
 0.07 
 0.05 
 
 
 
 
 6.27 
 
 0.51 
 
 0.29 
 
 
 
 
 dollars 
 1.04 
 1.50 
 0.50 
 0.18 
 
 dollars 
 0.08 
 0.12 
 0.04 
 0.02 
 
 dollars 
 0.05 
 
 
 0.07 
 
 Machinery repairs 
 
 0.02 
 0.01 
 
 
 
 
 3.22 
 
 U.16 
 
 0.26 
 1.96 
 
 0.15 
 
 
 1.11 
 
 
 
 * Labor costs per acre are computed at the following rates per hour: man labor, $0.30; 26 drawbar- 
 horsepower tractor, $1.50; 13^-ton truck, $1.50; combine engine, $0.75. 
 
 t All costs per bushel are based on a yield of 22 bushels, or 1,232 pounds of recleand flaxseed per acre 
 plus 120 pounds of dockage. 
 
 % 1.0 hour of combine work per acre rather than truck work. {Concluded on next page.) 
 
Bul. 641] 
 
 Flax-Management Practices 
 
 19 
 
 TABLE 15— (Concluded) 
 
 A Standard of Inputs and Costs for Flax Production 
 
 in the Imperial Valley 
 
 Cost 
 per acre* 
 
 Cost per 
 hundred- 
 weight 
 
 Cost per 
 bushelf 
 
 Depreciation costs 
 
 Depreciation on buildings and improvement. . 
 
 Depreciation on irrigation equipment 
 
 Depreciation on tillage equipment 
 
 Depreciation on seeding equipment 
 
 Depreciation on swather and combine 
 
 Depreciation on small tools and miscellaneous. 
 
 Total depreciation costs 
 
 Total cash and depreciation costs. 
 
 Interest costs, computed at 5 per cent of average value 
 
 dollars 
 
 0.06 
 1.17 
 
 Interest on value of buildings and improvements, $0.50. 
 
 Interest on value of irrigation equipment, $0.50 
 
 Interest on value of tillage equipment, $2.50 
 
 Interest on value of seeding equipment, $0.25 
 
 Interest on value of swather and combine, $3.00§ 
 
 Interest on value of small tools and miscellaneous, $0.50. 
 Interest on value of land, $100.00 
 
 Total interest on investment. 
 Total all costs 
 
 Less value of dockage, 10 per cent, 120 pounds at $0.50 per 
 hundredweight 
 
 Net cost of flaxseed, recleaned. 
 
 dollars 
 0.03 
 0.02 
 0.12 
 0.01 
 0.15 
 0.03 
 5.00 
 
 5 36 
 
 SO. 90 
 
 0.60 
 
 30.30 
 
 dollars 
 
 0.44 
 2.51 
 
 0.05 
 
 2.46 
 
 dollars 
 
 0.24 
 1.41 
 
 03 
 1.38 
 
 * Labor costs per acre are computed at the following rates per hour: man labor, $0.30; 26 drawbar- 
 horsepower tractor, $1.50; lH-ton truck, $1.50; combine engine, $0.75. 
 
 t All costs per bushel are based on a yield of 22 bushels, or 1,232 pounds of recleaned flaxseed per acre 
 plus 120 pounds of dockage. 
 
 § Combine assumed to serve 300 acres; rest of equipment, 200. 
 
 States crop as a whole averages approximately 33 per cent (see table 25) . 
 The market value of the oil represents about 70 per cent of the total value 
 of the seed. 
 
 Flaxseed Analysis. — Several samples of the 1938 flaxseed crop from 
 Imperial Valley were subjected to chemical analysis. The results in table 
 16, as compared with data in table 25, show that the percentage of oil 
 content averages from 5 to 8 per cent higher than the average for the 
 United States. 
 
 A useful indication of the drying quality of an oil is its iodine number, 
 
20 
 
 University of California — Experiment Station 
 
 which represents the percentage by weight of iodine that a fat or oil will 
 absorb under specified conditions. The capacity of an oil to absorb iodine 
 is associated with its capacity for absorbing oxygen quickly, which de- 
 termines to a large extent the utility of the oil for drying purposes. In 
 general, a fat or oil having an iodine number of less than 100 is classed 
 as nondrying, one having an iodine number of between 100 and 130 as 
 
 TABLE 16 
 
 Analyses* of Imperial Valley Flaxseed, 1938 Crop 
 
 Variety and sample number 
 
 Weight per 
 1,000 seeds 
 
 Oil 
 
 (8 per cent 
 
 moisture 
 
 basis) 
 
 Iodine no. 
 of oil 
 
 Crude protein 
 (12 per cent 
 
 moisture 
 
 4.5 per cent 
 
 oil) 
 
 Punjab 
 
 393 
 
 394 
 
 grams 
 
 6.32 
 6.34 
 6.23 
 6.20 
 6.27 
 6.37 
 6.62 
 5.94 
 6.16 
 6.41 
 6.51 
 6.68 
 6.17 
 6.04 
 
 per cent 
 
 41.28 
 40.72 
 41.23 
 41.19 
 41.65 
 40.97 
 40.64 
 38.64 
 40.46 
 40.75 
 41.83 
 39.28 
 39.37 
 39.65 
 
 190.4 
 189.6 
 192.0 
 189.2 
 191.2 
 189.8 
 190.2 
 179.8 
 191.4 
 190.4 
 192.7 
 187.4 
 184.5 
 187.7 
 
 per cent 
 
 30.93 
 30.57 
 
 395 
 
 30 80 
 
 396 
 
 30.51 
 
 397 
 
 30.31 
 
 398 
 
 31.70 
 
 399 
 
 31.62 
 
 400 
 
 401 
 
 402 
 
 403 
 
 33.81 
 30.74 
 31.04 
 
 28.85 
 
 404 
 
 405 
 
 406 
 
 34.92 
 33.65 
 34.87 
 
 * Analyses made by T. H. Hopper, Agricultural Chemist, North Dakota Agricultural 
 Experiment Station, Fargo, North Dakota. 
 
 Source of data: 
 
 Records of the Southwest Flaxseed Association, Imperial, California. 
 
 semidrying, and one having a number above 130 as drying. 6 There are 
 other properties of drying oils, however, that make them useful for spe- 
 cial purposes. 
 
 The iodine number of an oil varies considerably with different samples 
 and different methods of testing. In table 17 the range of iodine numbers 
 for the principal drying oils is shown in order of maximum tests. Linseed 
 oil ranks third highest. The samples from Imperial Valley seed, as shown 
 in table 16, compare very favorably with the iodine number for linseed 
 oil and other oils reported in table 17. 
 
 Linseed meal represents from 60 to 68 per cent of the seed by weight 
 and approximately 30 per cent of the value. It is used primarily as a feed 
 for livestock and its chief value is due to its high percentage of protein 
 (see table 16). 
 
 6 Dewees, Anne. Fats, oils and oleaginous raw materials — production, prices, trade, 
 disappearance in the United States, 1912-35, and available data for earlier years. 
 U. S. Dept. Agr. Statis. Bui. 59:122. 1937. 
 
Bul. 641] 
 
 Flax-Management Practices 
 
 21 
 
 Flax Straw. — Flax straw is baled and sold by the grower to the fiber 
 mill (see p. 15 and table 13). The processing at the mill results in two 
 products — tow fiber and shive. Fiber represents about 20 per cent of the 
 straw and is used in the manufacture of cigarette paper. Shive is the 
 woody portions of the straw and other foreign matter. It is being used 
 experimentally as a feed roughage, bedding, organic fertilizer, mulch- 
 ing, and packing material. 
 
 TABLE 17 
 Iodine Number of Principal Drying Oils 
 
 Oil 
 
 Iodine no. 
 
 Oil 
 
 Iodine no. 
 
 
 218* 
 185-206 
 179-204 
 160-190 
 140-180 
 160-170f 
 150-166 
 140-152 
 
 Whale 
 
 110-150 
 
 Perilla 
 
 Soybean 
 
 Safflower 
 
 Rubberseed 
 
 124-148 
 
 
 146 
 
 
 133-143 
 
 Menhaden 
 
 123-142 
 
 Tung 
 
 
 132-140 
 
 
 
 120-136 
 
 Walnut (English) 
 
 
 116-130 
 
 
 
 
 * Varies widely according to sample and method of determination. 
 
 t "Does not fully show the relative high drying power of tungoil. It has been known to show an iodine 
 no. between 220 and 235 with methods causing the more complete absorption of iodine." (Concannon, C. 
 C. Tung oil. U. S. Dept. Com. Bur. Foreign and Dom. Com. Trade Promotion Ser. no. 133:50. 1932.) 
 
 Source of data: 
 
 Adapted from: Dewees, Anne. Fats, oils and oleaginous raw materials — production, prices, trade, 
 disappearance in the United States, 1912-35, and available data for earlier years. U. S. Dept. Agr. Statis. 
 Bul. 59:122. 1937. 
 
 MARKET OUTLETS 
 
 The Southwest Flaxseed Association was organized in 1934 in Imperial 
 County, for the purpose of assisting flax growers to market their prod- 
 uct. Any farmer engaged in growing flax may obtain membership and 
 market his product through the Association by signing a membership 
 marketing agreement and adhering to the other provisions of the Asso- 
 ciation. 7 In 1938 and 1939 the Southwest Flaxseed Association handled 
 in excess of 80 per cent of the flax production in Imperial Valley. 
 
 Flaxseed produced in California is also marketed through local buyer 
 representatives of commercial oil-pressing companies. These buyers 
 usually purchase from the farmer in the field, paying him on the basis 
 of recleaned seed. If the farmer chooses to clean his own seed and then 
 sell it, this can be done. The buyers reckon that the amount of dockage 
 usually pays for the cleaning. 
 
 A number of commercial processing companies are interested in pro- 
 duction of flaxseed in California. Several of them have done much to en- 
 courage the development of the industry. At the present time there are 
 
 7 Further information may be obtained by writing to the Southwest Flaxseed 
 Association, Imperial, California. 
 
22 University of California — Experiment Station 
 
 adequate facilities for crushing and sufficient mills interested to provide 
 ample market outlets for all flaxseed grown in the state thus far. Several 
 of the commercial processing companies enter into contracts with grow- 
 ers in order that they may be assured of sufficient supply for crushing. 
 
 FACTORS AFFECTING THE PRICE OF FLAXSEED 
 
 Changes in the price of flaxseed result directly from changes in prices of 
 linseed oil and linseed meal produced from flaxseed. The price of flaxseed 
 is also influenced indirectly from changes in the factors affecting the 
 prices of oil and meal. Changes in linseed-oil prices have the greater in- 
 fluence on flaxseed prices, however, since the value of linseed oil in the 
 United States represents about 70 per cent of the total value of flaxseed 
 products. 
 
 Because the United States is a net importer (see fig. 1) of flaxseed and 
 linseed oil and a net exporter of linseed cake and meal (see table 28), 
 domestic prices of those commodities are affected not only by domestic 
 conditions of supply and demand but also by foreign conditions. Prices 
 of flaxseed, linseed oil, and linseed meal in the United States tend to 
 change in the same direction as prices in other world markets. 
 
 World prices of linseed oil are influenced chiefly by two factors : (1) 
 world supplies of flaxseed available for crushing, and (2) building ac- 
 tivity. These two factors, however, do not entirely explain changes in 
 prices of linseed oil, since several oils, such as tung oil and perilla oil, 
 compete with linseed oil for drying purposes. However, the quantity of 
 linseed oil used for drying purposes in the United States far exceeds that 
 for any of the other drying oils. This has been largely because of the 
 early development of its use as a drying oil, its general suitability for 
 drying purposes, and its availability in large quantities. In 1937, ap- 
 proximately 68 per cent of the total fats and oils used for drying pur- 
 poses in the United States was linseed oil, while 18 per cent of the total 
 was tung oil, 5 per cent perilla oil, 5 per cent fish oils, 2 per cent soybean 
 oil, and 2 per cent other oils (see table 26 ) . 
 
 The factors affecting prices of linseed cake and meal are distinctly 
 different from those affecting prices of linseed oil. Linseed cake and meal 
 are used primarily as high-protein feed for livestock. They compete 
 directly with such products as cottonseed cake and meal, soybean cake 
 and meal, and peanut cake and meal, the first two of which are produced 
 in fairly large quantities in this country. Other feeds competing with 
 linseed cake and meal are the feed grains and certain by-product feeds 
 (see table 27). Fluctuations in prices of linseed and other high-protein 
 meals tend to follow the same general course, with changes in prices of the 
 different high-protein meals in relation to each other occurring largely 
 
Bul. 641] Flax-Management Practices 23 
 
 as a result of relative changes in supplies and in shipping costs arising 
 both from variations in freight rates and in average distances of ship- 
 ment to places where such feeds are consumed. 
 
 Each of the above-mentioned factors has some influence either directly 
 or indirectly on the prices farmers are likely to receive for flaxseed. 
 
 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 
 
 The authors wish to express their thanks and indebtedness to the follow- 
 ing for assistance in the preparation of this bulletin : L. W. Fluharty, 
 Arthur Shultis, B. B. Burlingame, Extension Specialists in Farm Man- 
 agement, University of California. 
 
 Mr. A. McLachlan, Manager, Southwest Flaxseed Association, Im- 
 perial, California, contributed valuable information on the handling 
 and marketing of flaxseed. 
 
 Mr. Wade Ramsey, Manager, California Central Fiber Corporation, 
 El Centro, California, contributed valuable information on the handling 
 and processing of flax straw. 
 
 We are especially indebted to the following growers of flax in the Im- 
 perial Valley who cooperated in the flax enterprise-efficiency study over 
 a period of five years and made possible the compilation and analysis of 
 the data on yield, income, and costs in the production of flax : Ed Latham, 
 H. C. Worthington, W. M. Corn, F. M. Ballou and Son, Ward McGraw, 
 S. E. Robinson, L. M. Ferguson, Sawdey Farms Company, J. H. Butler, 
 J. R. Snyder, A. 0. Dolson, Ira Aten, George Shawver, E. S. Shields, 
 L. E. Sinclair, I. H. Shaw, J. L. DuBois, H. B. Stewart, Frank McCown, 
 John Scott, J. E. Brock, L. E. Dowe, J. F. Hallawell, Tamarack Ranch, 
 Hunt Brothers, Keith Metz, Dorman Farms, L. C. Hawk, D. F. Hawes, 
 Sucha Singh Dhalliwal, C. E. Forsberg, Marvin Gardner, F. P. Lehman, 
 August Axler, Paul Blinkiron, Robert Kamm, Muriel Bailey, George 
 Farmer, Louis Anderson, O'Connell Brothers, Norman E. Humphrey, 
 A. McLachlan. 
 
APPENDIX OF WORLD FLAX STATISTICS 
 
Bul. 641] Flax-Management Practices 27 
 
 TABLE 18 
 
 World Flaxseed Production by Principal Countries, 
 Average 1925-1934 and Annual 1937 
 
 
 Average 1925-1934 
 
 1937 
 
 Country 
 
 Production 
 
 Per cent 
 of total 
 
 Production 
 
 Per cent 
 of total 
 
 
 1,000 bushels 
 73,868 
 26,156 
 17,016 
 15,858 
 
 3,392 
 
 2,885 
 
 2,297 
 
 5,728 
 
 per cent 
 50.18 
 17.77 
 11.56 
 10.77 
 2.31 
 1.96 
 1.56 
 3.89 
 
 1,000 bushels 
 60,603 
 29,500 
 17,800 
 7,089 
 775 
 3,728 
 2,964 
 7,541 
 
 per cent 
 46.62 
 
 Russia 
 
 22.69 
 
 India 
 
 13.69 
 
 United States 
 
 5.45 
 
 
 0.60 
 
 
 2.87 
 
 Poland 
 
 Other countries 
 
 2.28 
 5.80 
 
 
 
 World total 
 
 147,200 
 
 100.00 
 
 130,000 
 
 100.00 
 
 
 
 Source of data: United States Department of Agriculture. Agricultural Statistics 1939:81. 1939. 
 
 TABLE 19 
 
 Imports of Flaxseed into the United States by Country of Origin, 1920-1937 
 
 Calendar year 
 
 Argentina 
 
 Canada 
 
 British India 
 
 China 
 
 Others 
 
 Total 
 
 1921 
 1922 
 1923 
 1924 
 1925 
 1926 
 1927 
 1928 
 1929 
 1930 
 1931 
 1932 
 1933 
 1934 
 1935 
 1936 
 1937 
 
 1,000 bushels 
 22,778 
 
 8,885 
 12,213 
 21,151 
 13,838 
 10,537 
 19,443 
 19,365 
 14,941 
 23,120 
 11,526 
 13,264 
 
 7,400 
 11,288 
 
 8,592 
 16,151 
 13,167 
 27,385 
 14,342 
 
 1,000 bushels 
 1,638 
 3,095 
 2,254 
 3,008 
 2,750 
 5,917 
 3,043 
 2,411 
 2,599 
 1,063 
 
 915 
 1,214 
 
 519 
 
 383 
 
 330 
 72 
 
 530 
 
 2 
 
 31 
 
 1,000 bushels 
 
 1,000 bushels 
 
 63 
 
 134 
 
 214 
 
 68 
 
 1 
 
 7 
 
 1 
 
 59 
 
 2,037 
 4,221 
 
 934 
 1,294 
 
 362 
 95 
 
 10 
 418 
 300 
 369 
 163 
 3 
 
 1,000 bushels 
 
 162 
 
 212 
 
 220 
 
 65 
 
 49 
 63 
 36 
 39 
 1 
 221 
 
 107 
 609 
 103 
 5 
 120 
 893 
 
 ,000 bushels 
 24,641 
 12,326 
 14,913 
 24,332 
 16,589 
 16,510 
 22,550 
 21,821 
 17,579 
 24,243 
 12,662 
 14,480 
 7,919 
 13,825 
 14,170 
 17,560 
 15,365 
 28,032 
 15,364 
 
 * Dashes indicate data not available. 
 Source of data: 
 
 United States Department of Commerce Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce. Foreign 
 commerce and navigation of the United States. Annual Issues. 
 
TABLE 20 
 
 Stocks, Production, Net Imports, and Utilization of Flaxseed 
 in United States, 1921-22 to 1938-39 
 
 Year* 
 
 Stocks of old 
 seed begin- 
 ning season 
 
 Production 
 
 Net imports 
 
 Total supplies 
 
 Utilization f 
 
 1921-22 
 
 1,000 bushels 
 5,680 
 1,387 
 3,498 
 1,856 
 3,973 
 4,713 
 5,650 
 4,170 
 5,019 
 3,222 
 2,483 
 2,900 
 2,100 
 2,513 
 2,181 
 3,331 
 3,339 
 2,199 
 2,296 
 
 1,000 bushels 
 
 8,107 
 10,520 
 16,563 
 31,220 
 22,334 
 18,531 
 25,174 
 19,118 
 15,924 
 21,673 
 11,755 
 11,511 
 
 6,904 
 
 5,661 
 14,520 
 
 5,273 
 
 7,089 
 
 8,152 
 20,330 
 
 1,000 bushels 
 13,630 
 25,006 
 19,577 
 13,419 
 19,354 
 24,224 
 18,112 
 23,494 
 19,652 
 
 7,813 
 13,849 
 
 6,213 
 17,901 
 15,332 
 15,388 
 26,096 
 17,860 
 18,744 
 
 1,000 bushels 
 27,417 
 36,913 
 39,638 
 46,495 
 45,661 
 47,468 
 48,936 
 46,782 
 40,595 
 32,708 
 28,087 
 20,624 
 26,905 
 23,506 
 32,089 
 34,700 
 28,288 
 29,095 
 
 1,000 bushels 
 26,030 
 
 1922-23 
 
 33,415 
 
 37,782 
 
 1923-24 
 
 1924-25 
 
 42,522 
 
 1925-26 
 
 40,948 
 
 1926-27 
 
 41,818 
 
 1927-28 
 
 44,766 
 
 1928-29 
 
 41,763 
 
 1929-30 
 
 37,373 
 
 1930-31 
 
 30,225 
 
 1931-32 
 
 25,187 
 
 1932-33 
 
 18,524 
 
 1933-34... 
 
 24,392 
 
 1934-35 
 
 21,325 
 
 1935-36 
 
 28,758 
 
 1936-37 
 
 31,361 
 
 1937-38 
 
 26,089 
 
 1938-39 
 
 26,799 
 
 1939-40J 
 
 
 
 
 * Year beginning July 1. 
 
 t Total supplies less stocks at beginning of following season. J Preliminary. 
 Source of data: 
 
 United States Department of Agriculture Bureau of Agricultural Economics. Quarterly Flax 
 Market Reviews. (Mimeo.) 
 
 
 Wet imports 
 
 y 
 
 Production 
 
 ■ 
 
 Stocks of old seed beginning of season 
 
 50 
 
 1 — 1 
 
 — 
 
 40 
 
 i—j 
 
 
 1— J 
 
 30 
 
 
 I—I 
 
 1 — 
 
 
 
 
 20 - - 
 10 
 
 
 1 _n_ 
 
 
 
 
 
 "11" H Hi H 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 r 
 
 
 
 o .Jfl. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 OO 
 
 ON 
 
 o 
 
 
 
 
 CO 
 
 
 Fig. 1. — Stocks, production, and net imports of flaxseed, United States, 
 
 1921-22 to 1939-40 (year beginning July). 
 
 Data from table 20. 
 
Bul. 641] 
 
 Flax-Management Practices 
 table 21 
 
 29 
 
 Acreage, Yield, and Production of Flaxseed in United States 
 and Argentina, 1920-1938 
 
 
 United States 
 
 Argentina 
 
 Year 
 
 Acres 
 sown 
 
 Acres 
 harvested 
 
 Yield per 
 
 harvested 
 
 acre 
 
 Produc- 
 tion 
 
 Acres 
 sown 
 
 Acres 
 harvested 
 
 Yield per 
 
 harvested 
 
 acre 
 
 Produc- 
 tion 
 
 1920 
 
 1,000 
 acres 
 1,745 
 1,180 
 1,125 
 2,045 
 3,570 
 3,100 
 2,923 
 2,819 
 2,702 
 3,363 
 4,466 
 3,724 
 2,691 
 1,812 
 1,588 
 2,392 
 2,548 
 1,346 
 1,096 
 
 1,000 
 acres 
 1,647 
 1,143 
 1,113 
 2.015 
 3,535 
 3,022 
 2,736 
 2,763 
 2,611 
 3,049 
 3,780 
 2,431 
 1,988 
 1,341 
 995 
 2,096 
 1,126 
 934 
 954 
 
 bushels 
 
 6.6 
 7.1 
 9.5 
 8.2 
 8.8 
 7.4 
 6.8 
 9.1 
 7.3 
 5.2 
 5.7 
 4.8 
 5.8 
 5.1 
 5.7 
 6.9 
 4.7 
 7.6 
 8.6 
 
 1,000 
 
 bushels 
 
 10,900 
 
 8,107 
 
 10,520 
 
 16,563 
 
 31,220 
 
 22,334 
 
 18,531 
 
 25,174 
 
 19,118 
 
 15,924 
 
 21,673 
 
 11,755 
 
 11,511 
 
 6,904 
 
 5,661 
 
 14,520 
 
 5,273 
 
 7,089 
 
 8,171 
 
 1,000 
 acres 
 4,769 
 3,892 
 4,317 
 5,391 
 6,322 
 6,201 
 7,288 
 7,055 
 6,943 
 7,092 
 7,511 
 8,640 
 7,401 
 6,855 
 8,102 
 6,573 
 7,438 
 7,023 
 6,608 
 
 1,000 
 acres 
 4,676 
 3,603 
 4,275 
 5,361 
 5,379 
 6,062 
 7,127 
 6,891 
 6,568 
 5,231 
 6,628 
 8,178 
 6,394 
 4,877 
 7,104 
 5,607 
 6,622 
 5,666 
 * 
 
 bushels 
 
 12.8 
 10.0 
 11.1 
 10.8 
 
 8.4 
 12.4 
 11.3 
 12.0 
 11.9 
 
 9.6 
 11.8 
 10.9 
 
 9.7 
 12.8 
 11.2 
 10.6 
 11.5 
 10.7 
 
 1,000 
 bushels 
 60,006 
 
 1921 
 
 36,046 
 
 1922 
 
 47,577 
 
 1923 
 
 1924 
 
 58,005 
 45,084 
 
 1925 
 
 1926 
 
 1927 
 
 75,113 
 
 80,783 
 
 82,672 
 
 1928 
 
 78,377 
 
 1929 
 
 1930 
 
 50,004 
 
 78,342 
 
 1931 
 
 89,067 
 
 1932 
 
 62,006 
 
 1933 
 
 1934 
 
 1935 
 
 62,595 
 79,720 
 59,445 
 
 1936 
 
 76,200 
 
 1937 
 
 1938 
 
 60,604 
 63,766t 
 
 * Dashes indicate data not available, 
 t Preliminary. 
 Source of data: 
 
 Flaxseed prices and the tariff, p. 59. 76th Congress, 1st Session, Senate Document No. 62. 
 
30 
 
 University of California — Experiment Station 
 
 co 
 
 w 
 
 OS 
 
 
 « I 
 ft, b- 
 " <M 
 
 W Oi 
 
 §5 
 
 £^ 
 
 O En 
 
 fcoo 
 
 < a 
 
 £p 
 §£ 
 
 S3 
 s 3 
 
 - Oh 
 
 H O 
 
 ■< 
 W 
 
 o 
 
 <J OS 
 
 
 >c5 
 
 lOW!OiOU5«3ll5iClO 
 
 N OO OO 
 
 CO M © 
 
 ■* N O) N ■<< N 
 
 I S3 
 
 CO O O O CO I 
 
 a IN 115 ■* o I 
 OO N N N 
 
 O O «3 O O O 
 
 O N 1(3 1(3 
 
 13 «3 IM 
 OO 00 h 
 
 o to O iO o cc to 
 
 ©CO»000»0<MOOt- I 
 
 0OOO'*'*n<K3i(3Tl< 
 
 sg 
 
 * M 00 lO IN CO 
 
 CO N IN OO N •* 
 
 M s g 
 
 S § c S 
 
 O CO 3 £ 
 
 S £ s »s 
 
 . e8 o3 
 
 too 
 
 3 - - 
 
 oo 
 
 cj cs o 
 
 co 1h 3 fQ 3 3 13 
 
 •S o o <D c3 O cc] 
 
 S £ ffi £ W S O 
 
 -3 g a 
 
 a, o3 q 
 
 3 O co 
 
 c» c ao 
 
 Si cp o3 
 
 — "£ -3 -O 
 
 £SQ 
 
Bul. 641] 
 
 Flax-Management Practices 
 
 31 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 eos 
 
 
 _T3 co 
 
 
 r^oeo©i<'-ii<oo 
 
 <* n m h •* 
 
 lH O CO OS CM O 
 
 oj a) a> 
 
 OCNCOCNCOCOt^-H 
 
 CM t^ IO i— 1 © 
 
 CO CM f^ 00 lO CO 
 
 +j +j +j 
 
 »— I lO lO CM CO lO i-l i-H 
 
 ffi CD N 1(5 O 
 
 co io cm o i-i eo 
 
 >-; s © 
 
 CO ©" CO I— T CM* oo" io" OS 
 
 io" 1-7 l-T l-H CO 
 
 10" rf «5 t^ oo" O 
 
 i-H i-H CO CM ^H CM i-H 
 
 ~H CM i-H -H 
 
 ^H CM 
 
 i g 
 
 • 
 
 
 
 
 ~2 c 
 
 S-« 1 
 
 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 
 
 1 1 1 1 1 
 
 CM O OO O T OO 
 
 03 t_ 
 
 <=i to 1 
 
 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 
 
 1 1 1 1 1 
 
 i)l N 0O tO OO N 
 
 °«2 
 
 >-. 3 
 
 
 
 N 115 IO to tO N 
 
 M 
 
 
 
 
 
 fl 
 
 
 
 
 
 "3 
 
 "=>"5j 
 
 
 
 
 grfS «5 
 
 CDt-~00CO1tlO©© 
 
 
 
 o 
 
 O 60 
 
 lO OS 
 
 OS 1< CM i-l 
 
 1 1 1 1 1 
 
 >> 
 
 ■~r 3 
 
 
 
 
 & 
 
 rO 
 
 
 
 
 CO 
 
 C 
 
 e3 
 
 S"« OS 
 
 1<Oe001<asiO© 
 
 !D W O N O 
 
 O CO 0O rt NlO 
 
 © to io 
 
 (iJiHNNCCCCtOlO 
 
 IN S U h so 
 
 OO rf CO CO N M 
 
 >-h" 3 '- 1 
 
 i-li-ti-HCOCNCNi-Irt 
 
 i-l CM CO CO CM 
 
 CM CO i-H CO CO t^ 
 
 M 
 
 * 
 
 
 
 
 03 
 
 
 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 
 
 
 3 
 
 §3co 
 
 lOtfrfCCHtOOCC 
 
 1< 1> i-H OO CM 
 
 1 OO CM I OO CO 
 
 *h 3 
 
 HNTfrtlOUJCDtO 
 
 CO >C CM i-H »-l 
 
 1 CM 1 
 
 55 
 
 -O 
 
 
 
 
 >jH 
 
 
 
 
 
 'h 
 
 
 
 
 
 3 
 
 cs^ 
 
 
 
 
 o 
 
 §"S 1 
 
 | I | CO <M CM OO 00 
 
 © cm as o i< 
 
 OS o o o »o CO 
 
 
 1 1 1 i-l ^H i-t CM i-H 
 
 
 i-H CM CM i—l CM 
 
 .2 
 
 >-T 3 
 
 
 
 
 § 
 
 iO 
 
 
 
 
 
 00 
 
 
 
 
 c3 
 
 O'S 
 
 
 
 
 O 
 
 s-« "* 
 
 OOCOCOOSIOIOOO 
 
 N O * H N 
 
 CO 00 O CM CO »0 
 
 CS 6, O 
 
 cor^cor^ocooas 
 
 -i co oo r^ co 
 
 as co oo os ■*> **i 
 
 i~, 2 "H 
 
 
 i-H <M i-H i-H ^H 
 
 i-H H O) 
 
 
 -a 
 
 
 
 
 d 
 
 
 
 
 
 03 
 60 
 
 ^'S * 
 
 
 
 
 s 
 
 §t 1 
 
 1 1 1 1 I 1 1 1 
 
 O OO O CO <M 
 
 O O O OO <N OO 
 
 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 
 
 M IM iiHD N 
 
 O) O to Kl N ffl 
 
 O 
 
 >-; s 
 
 
 
 
 g 
 
 rO 
 
 
 
 
 lO 
 
 . co 
 
 
 MMWNCO^HN 
 
 OO IN ifl CN to 
 
 if N lO 0O N * 
 
 —i CD 
 
 OOOt~-COt^lOt^O 
 
 i-l CO CO CM 00 
 
 ■* Ol lO CO H to 
 
 03 +> 
 
 OOCOCNr^OOOCOCO 
 
 * OO H » M 
 
 Ol IN M Ol N N 
 
 -w 03 
 
 
 
 
 O +» 
 
 >-." 3 o 
 
 N O (D 6 H 00 * OO 
 
 fi o" -h" O CO 
 
 ^l CO * io" to" to" 
 
 H M 
 
 -o —' 
 
 rt i-H CO CM i-H CM i-H 
 
 i-H CM i-H i-l 
 
 « 
 
 03 
 
 o-2 o 
 
 CNOOOIOOCNOCO 
 
 lO O CO Oi CM 
 
 CM 00 CM CO O CM 
 
 03 
 
 N0OO0'*lOlflu:«5 
 
 o> CO ID ■«! Ol 
 
 OS CM lO 11 CO CO 
 
 o 
 
 UJlOOOOONOCOlfl 
 
 !-H t^ 1* t^ T* 
 
 CM i-H "5 
 
 >-7 3 
 
 1-1 i— 1 tH 
 
 i-H i—l 
 
 
 lerl 
 
 * 
 
 
 
 
 f^i 
 
 
 
 
 
 AS 
 
 %3 
 
 
 ^ooifinrtOiOH 
 
 ^ Ol OO to w 
 
 lO O CM OO CM CO 
 
 OlO^H^OOOCMO 
 
 if a> cm t^ t-< 
 
 CO >C CO CM O0 OS 
 
 ■^^^NNCNHrt 
 
 ^H CM lO t^ i-H 
 
 OS i-H CM CO <M 
 
 O o3 
 C0Q 
 
 *-, 3 <M 
 
 h" h n" * eo N id" m 
 
 coco 
 
 
 
 >-." 3 "* 
 
 OS©101«OS1ICOO' 
 
 1(1 tD H O) ill 
 
 OO CO 00 OO O lO 
 
 0«5NNCONMIN 
 
 o> «5 >o OS t^ 
 
 o i-i o ii r^ »o 
 
 NOlOOOlNif^C 
 
 CO CM O C75 CO 
 
 as co co »o co o 
 
 2& 
 
 CM" 1<" t^T «0 OS «>r o" OC 
 
 CO oo" f" CM i-H 
 
 IO r-< i—l CM 
 
 03 
 
 
 
 
 
 i 
 
 a 
 
 C5 60 
 
 OlOCOI-^OtNCOOC 
 
 OO O C~ <3> lO 
 
 O cm eo i^ co o 
 
 W CO N N U5 CO 
 
 iOIOO—iOiOIIG 
 
 O CM CM CO CO 
 
 HNOH^tOMK 
 
 CO •«< O CO CO 
 
 00 1< lO O 1>- CM 
 
 G 
 
 >-, 3 eo 
 
 MCOlOOONNNiC 
 
 ■* N tO tO ■♦ 
 
 eo co co ii i<~ cm" 
 
 pO 
 
 
 
 
 3 
 
 
 
 
 
 _c 
 
 
 
 
 
 "3 
 
 c 
 
 8 
 
 CO 
 
 
 OOCNOOOOOCOOOC 
 1<l0O001«CNCMG 
 
 t~ t^ CO CO o 
 
 as co o cm ii i-i 
 
 OlDQC 
 
 t- t^ CO CO ■>* 
 
 U5 to 1 11 1 N 
 
 >-. 3 
 
 
 
 
 
 iO 
 
 
 
 
 J* 
 
 
 
 
 
 (i 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 03 
 0) 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 5* 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 +4. 
 
 
 a 
 
 HINn^lUfflNOC 
 
 ao h n t< 
 
 ■* IO tO N CO Ol 
 
 
 <M 
 
 CMCMCMCMCMCMCMCN 
 
 CM CO CO CO cr. 
 
 co co co co co co 
 
 
 3 
 
 O" 
 
 cr 
 
 O" 
 
 CT 
 
 o 
 
 O 
 
 - 
 
 o - 
 
 a- 
 
 ~r 
 
 ~ 
 
 — 
 
 cr 
 
 a- 
 
 CT 
 
 ~ 
 
 ~ 
 
 ~ 
 
 - 
 
 
 
 o 
 
 
 Q 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ccj 
 
 
 fl 
 
 
 
 
 CO 
 
 a 
 o 
 
 a> 
 O 
 
 C2 *~- 
 
 is 
 
 8 - 
 
 CO t- 
 
 -d 
 
 -^ t- 
 
 
 
 ^j 
 
 O 
 
 ^ - 
 
 M 
 
 
 
 
 o 
 
 
 o 
 
 ^3 
 
 _ 3 
 
 ccj 
 
 
 CO 
 
 o 
 
 ! I 
 
 
 
 
 
 3 M 
 
 o 
 
 
 T3 
 
 08 
 
 = 
 
 o 
 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 < 
 
 3 .^ 
 tsi O 
 
 O 
 
 03 
 T3 
 
 
 y. 
 
 <D 
 
 H 
 
 T3 
 
 C 
 c3 
 
 C 
 
 
 rt 
 
 
 °I 
 
 
 
 
 
 ^ "S 
 
 
 T3 
 
 a 
 
 2 £• 
 
 ^ s 
 
 
 « 
 
 3 
 
 T3 
 
 o3 73 
 > O 
 
 
 T3 
 
 cu 
 
 CO 
 
 i 
 
 a co 
 
 a) cp 
 
 2 & 
 
 
 p, 
 
 O co 
 
 
 ■fl 
 
 0) 
 
 Q ^ 
 
 5-S 
 
 ccj 3 
 
 
 to 
 
 3 
 
 eo 
 
 as 
 
 8 ^ 
 
 T3 ^Q 
 
 
 ,a 
 
 
 a> o 
 
 -w o 
 
 g °. 
 
 .« OO 
 
 -C co 
 
 
 § 
 
 o 
 
 CO 
 
 as 
 
 
 > 
 03 
 
 •6 
 
 'J °° 
 
 C co 
 p as 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 08 T 
 
 
 <0 T3 
 
 d 
 
 Tl 
 
 
 lO 00 
 
 -£3 13 
 
 =! 
 
 o 2 
 
 co co 
 as as 
 
 § « 
 
 
 U 
 
 l-H 1— 1 
 
 Q £ £ 5 
 
TABLE 24 
 
 Flaxseed Prices Per Bushel* at Minneapolis, Winnipeg, and 
 
 Buenos Aires, 1920-21 to 1938-39 
 
 Yearf 
 
 Minneapolis, 
 
 No.l 
 
 Northern 
 
 Winnipeg, 
 
 No.l 
 
 Canada 
 
 Western 
 
 Buenos Aires 
 
 Differential between Minneapolis 
 prices and those in: 
 
 
 Winnipeg 
 
 Buenos Aires 
 
 1920-21 
 
 dollars 
 2.20 
 2.27 
 2.73 
 2.46 
 2.71 
 2.53 
 2.25 
 2.21 
 2.29 
 3.11 
 1.76 
 1.36 
 1.18 
 1.87 
 1.91 
 1.73 
 2.14 
 2.07 
 1.81 
 
 dollars 
 1.89 
 2.00 
 2.24 
 2.08 
 2.41 
 2.14 
 1 95 
 1.90 
 2.02 
 2.48 
 1.14 
 0.84 
 0.80 
 1.47 
 1.40 
 1.47 
 1.71 
 1.64 
 1.43 
 
 dollars 
 1.64 
 1.69 
 1.80 
 1.71 
 2.17 
 1.77 
 1.61 
 1.65 
 1.68 
 2.02 
 1.04 
 0.64 
 0.70 
 1.07 
 1.02 
 1.15 
 1.25 
 1.29 
 1.10 
 
 dollars 
 0.31 
 0.27 
 0.49 
 0.38 
 0.30 
 0.39 
 0.30 
 31 
 0.27 
 0.63 
 0.62 
 0.52 
 0.38 
 0.40 
 51 
 0.26 
 0.43 
 0.43 
 0.38 
 
 dollars 
 56 
 
 1921-22 
 
 58 
 
 1922-23 
 
 93 
 
 1923-24 
 
 75 
 
 1924-25 
 
 54 
 
 1925-26 
 
 76 
 
 1926-27 
 
 64 
 
 1927-28 
 
 0.56 
 
 1928-29 
 
 0.61 
 
 1929-30 
 
 1 09 
 
 1930-31 
 
 0.72 
 
 1931-32 
 
 1932-33 
 
 0.72 
 0.48 
 
 1933-34 
 
 80 
 
 1934-35 
 
 0.89 
 
 1935-36 
 
 0.58 
 
 1936-37 
 
 0.89 
 
 1937-38 
 
 0.78 
 
 1938-39 
 
 0.71 
 
 
 
 * One bushel of flax equals 56 pounds. t Year beginning August. 
 Sources of data: 
 
 1920-21 to 1924-25: United States Department of Agriculture. Agriculture Yearbook 1925:841-42. 
 1926. 
 
 1925-26 to 1937-38: Flaxseed prices and the tariff, p. 71-74. 76th Congress, 1st Session, Senate 
 Document No. 62. 
 
 1938-39: United State Department of Agriculture Bureau of Agricultural Economics. Quarterly 
 Flax Market Review. August 15, 1939. (Mimeo.) 
 
 30 1 1 1 1 , , 11.20 
 
 1920-21 1923-24 1926-27 1929-30 1932-33 1935-36 1938-39 
 
 Fig. 2. — Differential price of flaxseed, Minneapolis above Buenos Aires, tariff 
 
 rate, and net imports into the United States, 1920-21 to 1938-39. 
 
 Data from tables 20, 24, and 29. 
 
Bul. 641] 
 
 Flax-Management Practices 
 TABLE 25 
 
 33 
 
 Flaxseed Crushed, Linseed Oil Produced, Percentage of Oil in Flaxseed 
 Crushed, United States, 1920-21 to 1937-38, and Price of Raw 
 Linseed Oil at New York and Linseed Meal at Minne- 
 apolis and San Francisco, 1920-21 to 1938-39 
 
 Year 
 
 Flaxseed 
 crushed*,! 
 
 Linseed oil 
 produced* 
 
 Percentage 
 
 oil produced 
 
 of flaxseed 
 
 crushed* 
 
 Price of 
 raw linseed 
 
 oil at 
 New York | 
 
 Price of 
 linseed meal 
 
 at 
 Minneapolis§ 
 
 Price of 
 linseed meal 
 
 at San 
 Francisco§ 
 
 
 / 
 
 i 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 5 
 
 6 
 
 1920-21 
 
 1,000 bushels 
 
 24,828 
 23,276 
 33,806 
 35,529 
 40,996 
 39,716 
 40,136 
 43,243 
 39,595 
 35,504 
 27,054 
 23,699 
 17,370 
 23,006 
 20,720 
 26,544 
 30,340 
 25,870 
 
 1,000 pounds 
 
 465,892 
 435,289 
 646,756 
 659,192 
 757,784 
 731,606 
 745,164 
 810,603 
 737,534 
 651,038 
 488,545 
 438,763 
 318,120 
 442,797 
 404,060 
 505,531 
 587,093 
 504,810 
 
 per cent 
 
 33 5 
 33.4 
 34.2 
 33.1 
 33.0 
 32.9 
 33.2 
 33.5 
 33.3 
 32.7 
 32.2 
 33.1 
 32.7 
 
 34 4 
 34.8 
 34.0 
 34.6 
 34.8 
 
 cents 
 
 per pound 
 
 19.4 
 
 9.3 
 11.2 
 13.1 
 13.0 
 13.9 
 11.1 
 10.4 
 10.0 
 12.2 
 12.5 
 
 8.4 
 
 6.3 
 
 9.0 
 
 9.3 
 
 9.4 
 
 9.8 
 10.8 
 
 9.1 
 
 dollars 
 per ton 
 50.21 
 47.31 
 49.48 
 43.57 
 43.31 
 45.24 
 45.67 
 48.35 
 52.99 
 52.72 
 35.85 
 27.22 
 21.50 
 32.24 
 39.50 
 26.13 
 43.96 
 38.15 
 38.62H 
 
 dollars 
 per ton 
 
 1 
 
 1921-22 
 
 1922-23 
 
 
 1923-24 . . 
 
 53.12 
 
 1924-25 . 
 
 52.54 
 
 1925-26 
 
 53.70 
 
 1926-27 
 
 51.68 
 
 1927-28 
 
 52.24 
 
 1928-29 
 
 53.50 
 
 1929-30 
 
 1930-31 
 
 52.94 
 35.87 
 
 1931-32 
 
 1932-33 
 
 1933-34 
 
 28.78 
 25.13 
 28.34 
 
 1934-35 
 
 33.45 
 
 1935-36 . 
 
 28.52 
 
 1936-37 . 
 
 38.77 
 
 1937-38 
 
 37.58 
 
 1938-39 
 
 34 77 
 
 
 
 * Year beginning October, 1920-21 to 1926-27; year beginning July, 1927-28 to date, 
 t Bushels converted to pounds in calculating percentage of oil at the rate of 56 pounds per bushel of 
 flaxseed. 
 
 t Calendar years, 1920-1938. 
 § Year beginning July. 
 H Dashes indicate data not available. 
 || Average for six months. 
 Sources of data: 
 
 Cols. 1 and 2: 1920-21 to 1926-27: United States Department of Agriculture. Yearbook of Agricul- 
 ture 1934:449. 1934. 
 
 1927-28: United States Department of Agriculture. Agricultural Statistics 1938:83. 1938. 
 
 1928-29 to 1937-38: United States Department of Agriculture. Agricultural Statistics 1939:87. 1939. 
 
 Col. 3: Calculated. 
 
 Col. 4: Flaxseed prices and the tariff, p. 75. 76th Congress. 1st Session, Senate Document No. 62. 
 
 Col. 5: 1920-21 to 1926-27: United States Department of Agriculture. Yearbooks of Agriculture 
 1930:667; 1933:464; 1934:450; 1935:416; and Agricultural Statistics, 1937:79. 
 
 1927-28 to 1938-39; Flaxseed prices and the tariff, p. 79. 76th Congress, 1st Session, Senate Docu- 
 ment No. 62. 
 
 Col. 6: University of California College of Agriculture. 1939 Outlook tables. (Mimeo.) 
 
34 
 
 University of California — Experiment Station 
 
 3.50 
 
 3.00 
 
 2.50 
 
 2.00 
 
 1.50 
 
 1921-22 1924-25 1927-28 1930-31 1933-34 1936-37 
 
 Fig. 3. — Price of linseed meal at San Francisco and Minneapolis and price 
 of flaxseed at Minneapolis, 1921-22 to 1938-39. 
 
 Data from tables 24 and 25. 
 
 0.00 
 
Bul. 641 
 
 Flax-Management Practices 
 
 35 
 
 10 XI 
 
 Price * g 
 
 OO r-t 
 
 CO IA 
 
 O .H 
 
 O r-4 
 
 C\J 
 
 f-l 
 
 rH 
 
 IA 
 
 C- 
 
 f\ 
 
 
 "tf 
 
 CO 
 
 KN 
 
 r-t 
 
 ON 
 
 O 
 
 r-t 
 
 IT\ 
 
 OS 
 
 o 
 
 tM 
 
 IT\ 
 
 
 «* 
 
 
 
 CO 
 
 
 
 
 >* 
 
 «*\ 
 
 t«\ 
 
 •H 
 
 CO 
 
 
 
 C- 
 
 c~ 
 
 r-t 
 
 
 CO 
 
 Sales o^ 
 m a 
 
 vo 
 
 c- 
 
 r- 
 
 <M 
 
 •>* 
 
 
 ON 
 
 C- 
 
 O 
 
 K\ 
 
 c~ 
 
 K\ 
 
 
 O 
 
 o 
 
 CO 
 
 CO 
 
 CO 
 
 CO 
 
 
 CO 
 
 
 ITN 
 
 CO 
 
 C\J 
 
 c— 
 
 *\ 
 
 
 l/N. 
 
 CO 
 
 e\j 
 
 O 
 
 c— 
 
 IT\ 
 
 CM 
 
 UA 
 
 VO 
 
 v£> 
 
 .O 
 
 
 
 
 l-l 
 
 CVJ 
 
 CVI 
 
 rH 
 
 evi 
 
 rH 
 
 r-t 
 
 r-t 
 
 ft 
 
 r4 
 
 
 
 r-t 
 
 
 
 
 0.00 
 
 1920 
 
 1923 
 
 1926 
 
 1929 
 
 1932 
 
 1935 
 
 1938 
 
 Fig. 4. — Sales and average price per bushel of flaxseed in the United States, 
 1920-1938. (Sales equal difference between production and amount used for 
 seed. Price weighted by sales in each state.) 
 
 Data from: United States Department of Agriculture Bureau of Agricultural Eco- 
 nomics. Income Parity for Agriculture. Part 1. Farm Income. Sec. 8. Income from Flax- 
 seed, p. 9. July, 1939. (Processed.) 
 
1910 1915 1920 1925 1930 1935 1940 
 
 Fig. 5. — Prices received by farmers for flaxseed, wheat, and all farm 
 
 products, 1910-1938. (Index numbers 1910-1914 = 100.) 
 
 Data from: Flaxseed Prices and the Tariff, p. 16. 76th Congress, 
 
 1st Session, Senate Document No. 62. 
 
 TABLE 26 
 
 Estimated Consumption of Oils in the Drying Industries, 
 
 United States, 1912-1914 and 1925-1937 
 
 Calendar year 
 
 Linseed 
 oil 
 
 Tung 
 oil 
 
 Perilla 
 oil 
 
 Fish 
 oils 
 
 Soybean 
 oil 
 
 Other 
 oils* 
 
 Total 
 
 Linseed 
 oil as per- 
 centage 
 of total 
 
 1912 
 
 million 
 pounds 
 
 461 
 
 603 
 
 510 
 
 726 
 714 
 756 
 785 
 789 
 544 
 471 
 354 
 376 
 409 
 465 
 478 
 571 
 
 million 
 pounds 
 
 43 
 
 42 
 
 30 
 
 87 
 
 92 
 
 85 
 
 95 
 110 
 100 
 
 90 
 
 74 
 102 
 117 
 129 
 121 
 151 
 
 million 
 pounds 
 
 t 
 
 § 
 
 § 
 
 6 
 
 7 
 
 5 
 
 2 
 
 6 
 
 9 
 11 
 11 
 25 
 24 
 60 
 105 
 39 
 
 million 
 pounds 
 
 22 
 
 11 
 
 14 
 
 30 
 18 
 20 
 24 
 21 
 25 
 27 
 20 
 22 
 25 
 32 
 40 
 44 
 
 million 
 pounds 
 
 -X 
 
 9 
 12 
 14 
 13 
 18 
 17 
 17 
 
 million 
 pounds 
 
 -X 
 
 4 
 3 
 5 
 
 7 
 
 9 
 19 
 12 
 
 million 
 pounds 
 
 526 
 
 656 
 
 554 
 
 849 
 831 
 866 
 906 
 926 
 678 
 612 
 474 
 544 
 595 
 713 
 780 
 834 
 
 per cent 
 88 
 
 1913 
 
 1914 
 
 93 
 
 92 
 
 1925 
 
 86 
 
 1926 
 
 86 
 
 1927 
 
 87 
 
 1928 
 
 87 
 
 1929 
 
 85 
 
 1930 
 
 80 
 
 1931 
 
 77 
 
 1932 
 
 75 
 
 1933 
 
 69 
 
 1934 . 
 
 69 
 
 1935 
 
 1936 
 
 65 
 61 
 
 1937 
 
 68 
 
 
 
 * Other oils include hempseed oil, oiticica oil, sunflower oil, castor oil, and miscellaneous. 
 t Imports not reported prior to October, 1913. 
 X Dashes indicate data not available for years prior to 1931. 
 § Less than 500,000 pounds. 
 Source of data: 
 
 Flaxseed prices and the tariff, p. 25. 76th Congress, 1st Session, Senate Document No. 62. 
 
TABLE 27 
 
 Supplies of Oilseed Cake and Meal, and Feed Grains, 
 United States, 1925-1937 
 
 Year* 
 
 Cotton- 
 seed cake 
 and mealf 
 
 Linseed 
 
 cake and 
 
 mealf 
 
 Soybean 
 
 cake and 
 
 mealj 
 
 Copra 
 
 cake and 
 
 mealf 
 
 Peanut 
 
 cake and 
 
 mealj 
 
 Total 
 
 cake and 
 
 meal 
 
 Linseed 
 as per- 
 centage of 
 total cake 
 and meal 
 
 Feed 
 
 grains§ 
 
 1925 
 
 1,000 
 tons 
 2,192 
 2,429 
 1,691 
 2,048 
 2,181 
 2,011 
 2,281 
 1,962 
 1,776 
 1,633 
 1.787 
 2,158 
 2,739 
 
 1,000 
 
 tons 
 
 478 
 
 462 
 
 530 
 
 476 
 
 396 
 
 370 
 
 222 
 
 220 
 
 161 
 
 222 
 
 286 
 
 303 
 
 206 
 
 1,000 
 tons 
 
 28 
 
 32 
 
 62 
 
 91 
 112 
 122 
 132 
 113 
 
 99 
 287 
 620 
 548 
 732 
 
 1,000 
 tons 
 
 93 
 
 91 
 100 
 115 
 115 
 102 
 
 79 
 100 
 122 
 116 
 134 
 142 
 123 
 
 1,000 
 tons 
 
 12 
 
 10 
 
 22 
 
 17 
 
 35 
 
 17 
 
 13 
 
 17 
 
 11 
 
 49 
 
 50 
 
 69 
 
 52 
 
 1,000 
 
 tons 
 
 2,803 
 
 3,024 
 
 2,405 
 
 2,747 
 
 2,839 
 
 2,622 
 
 2,727 
 
 2,412 
 
 2,169 
 
 2,307 
 
 2,877 
 
 3,220 
 
 3,852 
 
 per cen t 
 
 17.1 
 15.3 
 22.0 
 17.3 
 13.9 
 14 1 
 
 8.1 
 
 9.1 
 
 7.4 
 
 9.6 
 
 9.9 
 
 9 4 
 
 5.3 
 
 1,000 
 tons 
 107,162 
 
 1926 
 
 98,938 
 
 1927 
 
 100,054 
 
 1928 
 
 1929 
 
 102,855 
 95,798 
 
 1930 
 
 84.966 
 
 1931 
 
 97,868 
 
 1932 
 
 113,768 
 
 1933 
 
 91,720 
 
 1934 
 
 1935 
 
 59,510 
 90,137 
 
 1936 
 
 62,720 
 
 1937 
 
 97,165 
 
 * Year beginning October 1. 
 t Production plus imports, less exports. 
 J Production plus imports. 
 
 § Production of corn and grain sorghums, plus farm stocks of corn, oats, barley, and grain sorghums 
 on October 1. 
 
 Source of data: 
 
 Flaxseed prices and the tariff, p. 26. 76th Congress, 1st Session, Senate Document No. 62. 
 
 TABLE 28 
 
 Exports and Imports of Linseed Oil and Exports of Linseed 
 Cake and Meal, United States, 1920-1937 
 
 Year* 
 
 Linseed oil 
 
 Linseed cake 
 and meal 
 exports t 
 
 Exports 
 
 Imports 
 
 1920 
 
 1,000 pounds 
 4,210 
 2,744 
 3,105 
 2,628 
 2,405 
 2,335 
 2,738 
 2,221 
 2,020 
 2,129 
 1,298 
 
 873 
 
 781 
 
 696 
 
 795 
 1,022 
 1,096 
 
 821 
 
 1,000 pounds 
 
 14,974 
 
 168,705 
 
 56,764 
 
 17,840 
 
 23,587 
 
 16,733 
 
 1,331 
 
 346 
 
 6,677 
 
 5,416 
 
 256 
 
 28 
 
 36 
 
 10,680 
 
 3,086 
 
 1,161 
 
 452 
 
 243 
 
 1,000 pounds 
 391,264 
 
 1921 
 
 484,059 
 
 1922 
 
 574.612 
 
 1923 
 
 560,114 
 
 1924 
 
 691,126 
 
 1925 
 
 589,166 
 
 1926 
 
 625,121 
 
 1927 
 
 606,304 
 
 1928 
 
 645,120 
 
 1929 
 
 624,960 
 
 1930 
 
 304,640 
 
 1931 
 
 443,520 
 
 1932 
 
 1933 
 
 241,920 
 546,560 
 
 1934 
 
 380, 800 
 
 1935 
 
 459,200 
 
 1936 
 
 562,240 
 
 1937 
 
 557,760 
 
 
 
 * Year beginning July 1. 
 
 t Imports of linseed cake and meal are rather small. 
 Source of data: 
 
 United States Department of Agriculture. Agricultural Statistics 1939 :433, 
 467-68. 1939. 
 
38 
 
 University op California — Experiment Station 
 
 TABLE 29 
 
 United States Import-Duty Eates on Flaxseed and 
 Linseed Oil, 1897-1930 
 
 Year of Tariff Act 
 
 Flaxseed 
 per bushel* 
 
 Linseed oil 
 per pound 
 
 1897 
 
 cents 
 25 
 25 
 20 
 30 
 40 
 56 
 65 
 
 cents 
 2.67 
 
 1909 
 
 2.00 
 
 1913 
 
 1.33 
 
 1921 
 
 1.33 
 
 1922 
 
 3.30 
 
 1929 
 
 3.70 
 
 1930t 
 
 4 50 
 
 
 
 * One bushel of flax equals 56 pounds. 
 
 t 1930 Tariff rates still in force. 
 Source of data: 
 
 United States Department of Agriculture Bureau of Agricultural Econom- 
 ics. Tariff rates on principal agricultural products, p. 19. May 10, 1939. (Mimeo.) 
 
 10m-9,'40(6941)