N‘ 4 4 I 4 4 4 4 4 4 /4I! 4 p”! 4 4 I ' n/I! 4 4 I!!! f ' 4 4 I!!! 4 ' ‘ p/I! I ‘ 4 4 I!!! 4 4 4 » ‘I!!! - ' ' p!!! 4 ' Q ' 4 ' !!II ' 4 ‘ I!!! *4 4 '4 I!!! 4 - ' I!!! 4 ' ‘ I !!! - 4 ,4 ,I 4 , 4 1/1! I ' 4- ' ' ' I!!! 4 4 4 4 I!!! ' ' ’ 4 ' O/II 4 4 ‘ 4 !!II I I * 4 I ' I ‘ < '4 p/!!4 " ’ ' , 4 4 » ' l!!! 4 4 4’ 4 !!II 4 , 4 * 44 4 44 !!!! 4 ' '4 4 p/I! j ’ ' , 4 44 p/I! 4 4 4 I!!! 4 ' I 4 4 I!!! 4 I ’ ' p/III , I 4 ‘ I!!! 4' 4 4 ' I I!!! / 4 ' 4 4 ' ‘ p/I! 4 4 4 I I!!!’ 4 4 ‘ , ‘ 4 4 ‘ 4 p/!! ' 4 ' 4 ‘ 4 4 ' I!!! ' I ‘j 4 ' p/I! 1 4 4 ' 4/ 4 I!!! 4 4 I ' ' !!II 4 ' 4 ' * ' 4 0/1! ' 4 4 4 !!II ' 4 4 4 I!!! ' 4 ' ’ ‘ I!!! ' I 4‘ ’ ' ' 0/1! ' ‘ 4 ' 4 ‘!!II 4 4 4 ' I 4 I I!!! ' 4 ' " 4 ' 4 I!!! 4 4 4 I ' ’ !!II I ' I 4 I l!!! ’ ‘ w ’ ' ‘ ' o/I! f / I ’!!!I I ' ' 4 I 44 I ’ !I4!! ' ' ‘p!!! I 4 4 / ~ I I!!! ' , I 4 , / 4 44 ‘ 4 4 4 4 I!!! 4 4 , ' 44 4 , I!!! 4 I ' I I / p/II 44 I 4 ' < f 4 I!!! , * ' 4 4 ’ I 4 ' ’ p/I! 4 ‘, 4 I I!!! ’ I I 4 ' 4 III! 4 4 ' 4 4 ’!!!!4 4 I , 4 I I ‘ I!!! 4 4 ' 4 4 I!!! 4 I ' '4 4 ’ !I 4’ 4 4 I o a; 4 ' 44' l4 4 4 4 4 4» . 4 4 44v, 4 ‘ 4 ‘ n I 4 4 a‘ / é” 4 ,~ y 47’ . ,4 4'” P é 4f ~f| é If f! é y f P 4 f 41) I4 41/4 1) ,5 ‘f P If! f f4 é 4 é flfp/ If‘ H! 44 4 4 4 é ’¢ fi ‘é 44 f v’ p0 é . ?ll ’ 44p 4 4!, ¢ If 44¢ . f?’ 44¢ é 4 V p’! 44. é d 44 4 y 4 ié f a 4 p f a 45f R g4 P” 4 4 4f p f é’ é 4/ ‘d’ I é 4 a . 4 4 4 r‘ (‘I 4 g4 y! 404 4 4 I p é a4, f d é” 4 1'4 A 1% CONTENTS Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 2 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 3 Uses and Markets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Growing the Crop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Choice oi Land . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 4 Seedbeds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 4 Seeding Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Rate oi Seeding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 “ p Time oi Seeding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Fertilizers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 6 Weed Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 6 Injury by Low Temperatures . . . . . . . . . . 6 Other Production Hazards . . . . . . . . . . .. 7 Harvesting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 7 Seed Cleaning and Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Varieties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Early Maturing Indian Flax Varieties. . . 8 Northem Spring-type Varieties . . . . . . . . 8 Winter-type Varieties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Yields . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 9 Yields oi Fall-sown Flax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Yields oi Spring-sown Flax . . . . . . . . . . .ll Diseases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ll Rust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Pasmo . . , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Wilt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Seedling Blights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Aster Yellows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Curly Top . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Insects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ....l3 Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . l3 LIBRARY DOCUMENTS mvusuol! A g. M comma OF TEXA$ course snmow, TEX/W Summary Trial seedings oi flax are recorded in Texas as ear but commercial flax growing started in 1938. Favora and war needs stimulated the acreage which reached a J oi 349,000 in 1949 and a maximum value oi $7,722,000 inl drouth years, 1951-56, greatly reduced the acreage but ~ had increased to 80,000 acres. All Texas ilax is iall sown, the commercial acreage being concentrated in an eight-county area oi South Tex roughly irom Corpus Christi northward to San Antonio. erant winter-type varieties can be grown successfully as as Waco but little is grown now. Trials in North Central; Denton prove that spring seeding in this area is possibl crop has not become established commercially. Trial se the High Plains have not been successful to date. Flax is grown ior the seed from which linseed oil, an “ paint and varnish oil, is extracted. The meal is a valuab ' mental ieed oi approximately 35 percent protein and 3 --» No iiber ilax is grown in Texas. The ilax straw is oi { under Texas conditions. The ilax crop, which is seeded in South Texas in late or early December, iits well into rotations oi cotton, Su grain sorghum or vegetables where it sometimes is gr two-crop, l-year rotation since ilax is harvested in F “tighter" textured, iertile soils usually are used ior w growers seed ilax in rows but most oi the crop is drilled seedbed iree oi weeds. Fertilizers are profitable only i: is adequate moisture or the crop is grown under irrigatio should be controlled by preplanting cultivation or by ~ sprays. The northern spring-type varieties Deoro and B 512 most popular varieties and are among the higher yield‘ ‘ in tests at Beeville and Kenedy.. Smaller acreages oi Lind Redwood and others are grown. The cold-tolerant vari, key, Newturk and Caldwell were distributed to Texas gr only a small acreage is grown now. The short season varieties such as Punjab were grown in the Lower Rio Gr ley ior a time but are no longer grown. The iall-sown ilax crop usually is not damaged se diseases. Rust, pasmo, wilt and seedling blights have c g damage. During the dry seasons, 1955-57, curly top att in Texas causing moderate damage. Traces oi aster yell been observed. These diseases are discussed briefly. j= ‘CORD of field planting of flax ,that 50 acres were grown near Flax was cut with a binder, but e no threshing facilities or mar- it was left in the field} Small ],were made by the early dryland the U. S. Department of Agri- , Channing and Amarillo, Tex- pfd a few farmers grew the crop ,= area? Experimental trials of _re conducted at the U. S. San gtion of the U. S. Department of ii 1918-34.?’ Trial seedings 0f Dy the Texas Agricultural Exper- Troup, Nacogdoches, Angleton 918, but no further tests were i when spring-sown trials were tion No. 6, Denton. Observa- ll-sown flax were conducted on tations in 1934 and 1935 and an of research in cooperation epartment of Agriculture was s: ercial acreages of flax were a South Texas during the win- The Kuhn Paint and Varnish in Texas, and the Archer-Dan- pany, Fredonia, Kansas, fi- sse of 100 bushels of Bison flax als. The seed were distributed at Beeville, Angleton and Crys- seedings of 2 to 5 acres were 14 counties from Houston to f. yields obtained in these tests commercial seeding of flax. 1 anded slowly for a few years , by low temperatures, but af- the price of flaxseed was high ,tions favorable. Flax acreage 'mum of 329,000 in 1949. Se- drouths during the 1950 and 4;. ‘ind unpublished records on file in the _ omy. iAgriculture Bulletin 283, 1913. l onfile in the U. S. Department of gBellzsville, Maryland. 4' 'st in charge of small grain re- l tural Experiment Station and Crops ff 'cultural Research Service, U. S. i 'culture, College Station, Texas; on No. 1, Beeville, Texas; and re- 3i ops Research Division, Agricultural 0S. Department of Agriculture, Col- 9/11 a spmductian in Zcras I. M. ATKINS. ElICAS REYES and OWEN G. MERKlE* 1951 crop seasons and during 1955-57 caused a marked reduction in acreage but recently the acreage has expanded again. Table 1 gives the acreage, production and farm value of flax grown in Texas during 1938-60. Figure 1 shows the distribution of flaxin 1949, the year of maximum acreage. Uses and Markets Flax is grown principally for the seed, from which oil is extracted. Flaxseed yields 32 to 44 percent oil (based on dry weight) . This oil, called linseed oil, is used principally in the manufacture of paints and varnishes with smaller amounts being used in the manufacture of linoleum, oil- cloth, printer’s ink, patent and imitation leather products. The recent invasion of the market by rubber-base paints has reduced the demand for linseed oil in the paint industry. After the seed are crushed for the oil, the meal, which still contains about 3 percent oil, is prepared for livestock feed by grinding or by making it into pellets. Linseed oil meal is a high protein supplement (35 to 40 percent), and is highly prized by livestock people because of its palatibility and slightly laxative effect. Ground whole flaxseed also may be used for feed but usu- ally are too valuable. While the whole seed only have about two-thirds as much protein as the meal, the high oil content makes the seed one of the richest feeds in digestible nutrients. an: saw- , , . . . L . . . ¢ . ~ i A - = -v 1w! L . w,“ u m ; M non v ¢ ¢ u s ¢ n m = : vv s U v v M - l - @ i: nlllcfl 0 5000 Acres Figure 1. Distribution of flax in Texas, 1949. TABLE 1. ACREAGE. PRODUCTION, YIELD PER ACRE. PRICE PER BUSHEL AND FARM VALUE OF FLAX, 1938-60 Area Annual Yield Price per Total larm Year harvested, production, per acre, bushel, value, acres bushels bushels dollars dollars 1938 1.000 10.000 10.1 1.60 16.000 1939 18.000 207.000 11.5 1.65 341.550 1940 29.000 174.000 6.0 1.58 274.920 1941 15.000 105.000 7.0 1.62 170.100 1942 18.000 207.000 11.5 2.00 414.000 1943 34.000 272.000 8.0 2.61 709.920 1944 34.000 272.000 8.0 2.75 748.000 1945 63.000 504.000 8.0 2.75 1.386.000 1946 76.000 555.000 7.3 3.15 1.608.920 1947 91.000 864.000 9.5 5.70 5.057.325 1948 220.000 1.320.000 6.0 5.85 7.722.000 1949 329.000 1.974.000 6.5 3.44 6.791.000 1950 195.000 1.268.000 6.5 2.95 3.735.000 1951 22.000 75.000 3.4 4.00 300.000 1952 125.000 1.062.000 8.5 3.40 3.611.000 1953 124.000 868.000 7.0 3.40 2.951.000 1954 109.000 578.000 5.3 2.86 1.653.000 1955 32.000 96.000 3.0 2.77 266.000 1956 23.000 126.000 5.5 2.80 353.000 1957 17.000 119.000 7.0 2.61 329.000 1958 31.000 336.000 12.0 2.45 823.000 1959 38.000 357.000 10.5 2.90 1.035.000 1960 80.000 Under Texas conditions flax straw has little value, although in some growing areas it is con- sidered about the same in value as wheat straw. The straw should be plowed into the stubble to assist in maintaining organic matter of the soil. Under some conditions flax straw may have suf- ficient value to be gathered, baled and sold for industrial purposes. It can be used in the manu- facture of upholstery tow, insulating materials, rugs, twine and paper. The manufacture of cig- arette paper from flax straw is a new industry in some areas. The value of the straw is influenced by environmental conditions, diseases and by va- rieties to some extent. Flax varieties grown in Texas are not suit- able for fiber production used in the manufacture of linen. Fiber flax is grown under humid, high- rainfall conditions using varieties especially suit- ed for fiber production. _ Flaxseed grown in Texas may be processed at special flaxseed-oil mills, at cotton-oil mills, when certain adjustments are made, or the seed may be shipped to northern markets for process- ing. The oil content and iodine number, a meas- ure of quality in oil, of Texas flaxseed compare TABLE 2. OIL CONTENTS AND IODINE NUMBERS OF FLAX VARIETIES GROWN IN TEXAS. 1944-49 Percent oil Iodine number variety 2-year B-year Z-year B-year average average average average Rio 36.2 38.5 164 172 B 5128 35.8 172 Viking 36.6 180 Deoro 35.9 178 Turkey 35.6 38.6 162 170 Newturk 36.6 39.1 164 173 4 favorably with those of the same varieti in other areas. These quality factors enced by variety and environment. Th tents and iodine numbers of six flax. grown at Texas stations during the 6 riod, 19414-49, are shown in Table 2. Growing; the Crop Flax growing methods in Texas di those of the spring-sown flax growing the North Central States. Practically : fall sown in Texas, but spring seeding i in North Central Texas. Production n tered in South Central Texas with th acreages in Karnes, Wilson, Atascosa ' Oak counties. Flax is sown in late N0 early December in this area and gro the cool season of the year, maturing in ' or May. When moisture conditions are able, seeding in January sometimes is ' but lower yields may be expected from ‘ ings. Flax may be grown in a rotation .- sorghum and flax or in a two-crop, 1- tion of fall-sown flax and a summer le is better suited than most other crops l‘ on land which has spots deficient in g iron, locally called “hot spots.” Growir South Texas requires no extra farm - and aids in the distribution of labor r is grown during the winter. ‘ Choice 0f Land Flax may be grown on nearly an fertile land ranging from sandy loam “blackland.” In South Texas it usually on the “tighter” soils and less often _ soils. Flax does not compete well wi therefore it should not be sown on so’ infested with weeds. Since Texas fl during the winter, the weed proble troublesome than in many other areas.‘ Seedbeds Flaxseed are small and therefore r sown on a firm seedbed at a shallow dep moisture conditions are good, the seed be covered more than one-half to thr of an inch. Should the surface soil be may be sown as deep as 2 inches in ligh soil, if moisture is present. Weeds killed before flax is seeded if at all p0 Seeding Methods Flax always should be seeded wit drill, never broadcast and plowed in =¢ times done in seeding oat pastures in S as. Using a cultipacker before seedin wheels on the drill may be advantage, soil is not firm or is light textured. the 7 or 8-inch drill spacing is used, , weeds are troublesome, some farmers seeded in wide-spaced rows alternating clover at Beeville, 1956. e-spaced rows. Often these wide- are 28 to 36 inches apart, but fiis either a double row or a banded inch band of plants is created device at the base of the planter rowers may seed sweetclover 0r a the flax rows for soil improve- mer forage crop. Flax seeded in sis shown in Figures 2 and 3. permit cultivation to kill weeds utilize the limited moisture in e flax plants branch so that they ost of the space. Average yields ias high as regular drill spacings p conditions may be more satisfac- Ids in rate and spacing trials at are given in Table 3. ; l. 1 *1 with a grain drill, flax usually f to 30 pounds per acre, with the in the drier areas. The seeding U: influenced yields at Beeville, Nyding rate in wide-spaced rows l to 16 pounds per acre. Planting could be cleaned, treated and the ircentage should be determined. uses may be transmitted through plant parts. Seedling diseases 0" materially by proper treatment mercurical fungicide such as ogen. infall in the main flax-growing litmay not be possible always to p. um date. When moisture condi- between November 15 and ‘tc most satisfactory period. Re- y ‘seeding tests at Kenedy, 1948-53, le 4. December 23 and January 10 Fields from 1.5 to 2.0 bushels less ovember 15. February 5 seedings development of flax seedlings. Seed t with a suitable fungicide will reduce thi under most conditions but will not cont tirely. Aster Y ellows This disease recently has caused serif in flax in the northern Great Plains. infected plants have been observed in Tf and growers should be forewarned of l? crease. Aster yellows is caused by a vi is carried to healthy plants by the s' leafhopper. Infected plants are brigh may or may not be stunted and there is _ able distortion of foliage and floral pa star-shaped calyxes of the flower are 1 and no seed forms. Damage to the fl0 of the plant is shown in Figure 5. a Curly Top Curly top also is caused by a virus, carried by the sugar beet leafhopperp rent insect from the one which carries ' yellows virus. Curly top has been an t disease of sugar beets and certain for many years. During the severe the early 1950’s the sugar beet leaf- foved eastward from its natural winter New Mexico, Arizona and West Texas. if. of curly top were found in flax nur- College Station, Temple, Beeville and in gs in the Beeville - Karnes City area in '1.957. During the 1958 and 1959 crop en rainfall was above normal in South Qdamage occurred and only a few dis- ‘y were observed. Whether curly top cue to be an important disease in Texas igpredicted. p infection may be observed from the te to maturity. Infected plants show ristic clasping or erectness of leaves item, may be yellow or reddish in color er leaves drop off prematurely. Later, branch abnormally, the upper leaves ' s are distorted and few seed are , he bolls have a pimpling or blistered may be shrunken or greatly reduced iseased plants are shown in Figures the epidemics in 1956 and 1957 lietal differences were observed. The turk was highly susceptible, whereas d some hybrid lines of Rio x Roman very tolerant. The varieties Red- and Rio showed moderate tolerance ing was extremely susceptible. No lures other than using resistant va- ractical in Texas because the disease (any weeds and the insect vector also many common weeds. The reactions l) ax varieties to curly top are shown l. and Table 14. 2'0, Deoro and Viking flax showing difference ' curly top, College Station, 1957. TABLE 14. REACTION OF A SELECTED GROUP OF FLAX VARIETIES TO CURLY TOP AT TEXAS STATIONS Percent infected plants College Station Temple Variety 1955 1956 1957 1956 Average Newturk 20 50 73 73 54.0 Viking 18 30 70 63 45.1 Deoro 15 16 50 43 31.0 Rio 23 10 38 53 30.9 Linda 20 9 53 38 30.0 B 5128 24 6' 33 43 26.5 Redwood 18 6 43 35 25.4 Caldwell 7 7 33 48 23.6 Norland 8 25 Marine 5 38 Rocket 11 43 Insects Insects have not been a serious problem in flax production in Texas. Cotton bollworms have damaged a few fields in certain areas. Leaf hop- pers, which may carry aster yellows or curly top virus, are a potential source of damage to the crop, but control measures are not practical un- der most conditions. Acknowledgments These investigations were conducted cooper- atively by the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station and the Crops Research Division, Agri- cultural Research Service, U. S. Department of Agriculture. Special acknowledgment is made of research conducted by and under the direction of the late E. S. McFadden, agronomist, U. S. Department of Agriculture, College Station, Texas. Acknowl- edgments also are made to A-. C. Dillman, agron- omist in charge of flax research, (1922-46) USDA, Washington, D. C. and later (1947-53) employed by the Texas Flax Association, Kenedy, Texas; to R. A. Hall, former superintendent, Sub- station No. 1, Beeville, Texas; and to G. T. Rat- cliffe, former superintendent, U. S. San Antonio Field Station, San Antonio, Texas (1920-34). Assistance is herewith acknowledged to Kuhn Paint and Varnish Co., Houston, Texas; the Ar- cher-Daniels-Midland Company, Fredonia, Kan- sas, and later Kenedy, Texas; and the Texas Flax Association, Kenedy, Texas. Acknowledgments also are made of the coop- eration and assistance of G.»W. Rivers, agrono- mist, Texas Agricultural Experiment Station (1948-56), College Station, Texas; E. M. Neal, superintendent, Substation No. 1, Beeville, Texas; J. W. Collier and R. M. Smith, agronomist and superintendent, Substation No. 5, Temple, Texas; and county agricultural agents throughout South Texas who assisted in the yield trials. 13 [Blank Page in Original Bulletin] [Blank Page in Original Bulletin] i MAIN srtmou Q nu SUBSTATIONS j TAES nun LABORATORIES 4 coorrmrmc STATIONS Location of field research units of the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station and cooperating agencies IN THE MAIN STATION, with headquarters at College Station, are matter departments, 2 service departments, 3 regulatory servi 4- administrative staff. Located out in the major agricultural areas of 21 substations and 9 field laboratories. In addition, there are 14 v stations owned by other agencies. Cooperating agencies include orest Service, Game and Fish Commission of Texas, Texas Pri U. S. Department of Agriculture, University of Texas, Texas -~‘ College, Texas College of Arts and Industries and the King Ran experiments are conducted on farms and ranches and in rural ho ORGANIZATION THE TEXAS STATION is conducting about 400 active research projec in 25 programs, which include all phases of agriculture in Texa these are: Conservation and improvement of soil Beef cattle Conservation and use of water Grasses and legumes Grain crops Cotton and other fiber crops Vegetable crops Citrus and other subtropical fruits Fruits and nuts Oil seed crops Ornamental plants Brush and weeds OPERATION Insects Two additional programs are maintenance and upkeep, and centr Research results are carried to Texas farmers, ranchmen and homemakers by county agents and specialists of the Texas Agricultural Ex- tension Service $06161” .35 WQ5QGPCL ~96 jommorrow 3,} P09 State-wide Resear» The Texas Agricultural Experiment St is the public agricultural research agi of the State of Texas. and is one o parts of the Texas A&M College S i, Dairy cattle Sheep and goats Swine c Chickens and turkeys i Animal diseases and p Fish and game Farm and ranch engin Farm and ranch busin Marketing agricultural Rural home economics Rural agricultural econ Plant diseases ' AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH seeks the WHATS; WHYS. the WHENS, the WHERES and the HO ‘ hundreds of problems which confront operate ' farms and ranches, and the many industries de ing on or serving agriculture. Workers ol the Station and the field units ot the Texas Agricult Experiment Station seek diligently to find solutio these problems. ‘