Ripening flax, or linseed, (Linum usitatissimum). This very versatile plant, has been used by man for some 30,000 years and was domesticated 5,000 years ago in the Middle East. It is capable of being grown and harvested as far north as Russia and Sweden, where this field lies in the historical museum, Skansen, in Stockholm. The stems are used to make linen fibre three times stronger than cotton, which superseded linen in the 20th century because it was cheaper. After flowering, the seed pods ripen before harvesting. The seeds are a human food and, for example, in bread, add three beneficial phenolic glucosides. Linseed oil is edible but is also used in paint and other industrial products while the resultant linseed meal is a nourishing animal fodder.