POSSIBILITIES IN FLAX.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 276, 21 November 1932, Page 4

POSSIBILITIES IN FLAX.

MANUFACTURE OF CELLULOSE,

Commenting on the possibilities of developing the flax industry,. the annual report of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research remarks: "It would appear that the special needs of various avenues of utilisation will now have to be considered, and production linked up with manufacture. Thus the requirements for cordage and for weaving differ, while, if cellulose only is required, strength of fibre is of little significance compared with total yield and cellulose content. If Phormium of good quality were available at a price less than 10/ per ton of greep leaf, delivered at a neighbouring factory, then the prospects for a big-scale industry are good, whether for cellulose, weaving, or cordage. An . estimate of cost of production shows that production should be economically possible at these prices. Investigations have also been commenced regarding the production of cellulose from flax. A developing company has erected a digester, and made trials using green leaf as a basis, and has produced a good pulp. It is claimed that the yield from green leaf is over 20 per cent of cellulose, involving only a relatively short cook. ] With green leaf of high quality at 10/ per ton. these figures indicate that the raw material in cellulose pulp from flax should cost less than £2 10/ per ton, a price which compares well with sucli cellulose from wood or other sources."