With the stoppage in the sale of linseed, the peasants have determined to sow less flax this year for seed, and more for fibre, This idea was taken up by a local house in 1919-1920 and a flax works establisned at Pristan Galeonka, a few stations from Nikolsk.
Work has been stopped here for the last six months and the factory is in the market, owing to the partisan bands having damaged a good deal of the property, but it is a great pity that such a good beginning should have come to such an abrupt end. The flax was rather good, not being very long, but clean and strong. It reminded one of some grades of the Altai flax in colour, being, however, much cleaner. It was water-retted and not dew-retted as some of the Western Siberia flax is, especially the flax from the Novo-Nikolaievsk region.
Weatta tu Cepar Nots.
Considering the amount of "Kedr" or Siberian pine forests in this region, it is surprising that the people do not go in for pressing the oil from the pine needles as is done in Western Siberia, especially round Tomsk and Irkutsk. The needles are particularly rich in fats, while the cake is also useful as a cattle food. A local enthusiast made an analysis of 19 pounds of nuts, obtained
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.