Flax health of linseed oil. Eventually, Flanders became the major center of the linen industry in the European Middle Ages. In North America, flax was introduced by the colonists and it flourished there, but by the early 20th century, cheap cotton and rising farm wages had caused production of flax to become concentrated in northern Russia, which came to provide 90% of the world's output. Since then, flax has lost its importance as a commercial crop, due to the easy availability of more durable fibres. Flax is grown for its seeds, which can be ground into a meal or turned into
Flax Pond (New York) contention. In recent years, the management of Flax Pond has become a very important issue. The environmentally conscious group Friends of Flax Pond has used the facility to educate those in the community through lectures, workshops, and science programs. However, the NYSDEC has sought to make the Pond more accessible to residents, thus risking the environmentally pristine nature of the Pond. State Assemblyman Steven Englebright, who has roots in geology, (what about ecology?) has repeatedly stressed the importance of Flax Pond as an environmental sanctuary. He has funded projects for Flax Pond, such as their summer learning institute and has