FLAX IN IRELAND.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16702, 10 December 1919, Page 3

FLAX IN IRELAND.

« * EXPEEMENT WITH PHORMIUM 1 TENAX. J (from orrt own cmnKsrosPKVT.) LONDON, October 16. A recent bulletin of the Koyal • B' t micnl Gardens, at Kerr, contains an interesting account of tho experiment in the cultivation of Now Zealand fiax in Fioland. At Dingle, in Co. Kerry, Lord Yentry has made extonsivo plantings, "wn::h have pro\ed t...u a /.i-.i----land flax industry in that county, and possibly also in Oaunty Cork, J;ns everv prospect of .success.''' In May, 1914, Lord Ventry divided some old plants of Phonnium tonax and sot them in "an old neglected grass field," which he had ploughed up. In February. 15)18 th.-y were from (>] to 3 ieet high, ami were killing the coarse grass that had checked their growth. There were then 31 acres under cultivation, and preparations were boing made to plant 3D or 35 acres more with seedlings. 'Flic fibre is stated not to be of the Ixx't, but soma Irish paper-makers in 1917, tnade 16 tens of the leaves into brown wrapping paper, and were quite satisfied with the quality of the material, apart from its price. Lord Ventry expects to obtain more than a ton j»er acre, and possibly two tons, and he is convinced that M>w Zealand flax can be profitably grown by farmers in tho south-west of Ireland. 'i he Kew authorities issue a warning against assuming that New Zealand Sax is a very hardy plant, or that it can easily be acclimatised in tho United Kingdom. They lost many plants in the winter, and their experimental pl-.nting in 1914-15 at Eskdalemuir. just over tho border, was a comploto failure.