TIPS FOR TASMANIANS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 197, 14 May 1908, Page 3

TIPS FOR TASMANIANS.

. HOW TO CROW OUR FLAX. MR. M'NAB TELLS TllfiiM. - i Tho Hon. It. M'Nab, Minister for-Agricul- '■ turo, has recently furnished tho following.interesting .-information of how to grow the New Zealand flax, for tho information of Tasmanians. ■ The letter is published in tho latest, issue of .the Tasmaniao "Agricultural Gazette" ■ "Department of Agriculture, ' ' . "Head Office, Wellington. "February -14,, 1908. "Tho Hon. W. Half-Jones. _, "With reference to your verbal, request for information in regard to the cultivation of ' New Zealand .'flax' (Phormium tsnax), I beg 'to state that it is only within the last fow years that. this, matter has been -taken in hand, -as prior to the recent, great develop-. , ment in tho'export of tho fibre there was always a sufficient supply of tho plant growing wild in accessible portions of . the Dominion to. satisfy .tho demands of v the industry. But since the great extension of ,the export following ,on the introduction .of com--pulsory Government grading of tho fibre in ' the year 1901, it is gradually coming to bo realised that a good deal of low-lyhighland' hitherto regarded as useless may be' profitably utilised by means of this plant, and consequently the best varieties to grow, aiid tho best methods of have now become very ' important questions. / • . . ._ . "With a view of providingi reliablo info-r----•mation on these points, this Department.has. collected a large number of varieties' of, the , plant from many parts of the Dominion/and has established plantations with, these on two of its .experimental farms, Weraroa, near Wellington, .and Rualcura, near Aucldand. "The, plots at Weraroa havo yielded the first crop.this season,* and a full report showing the comparative results from milling the leaves of the several varieties is now in course of preparation, and will bo forwarded 5 to' you immediately it: is available. . : "In the,meantime it may, bq, said'generally, that the, result of tho' experiments as far as they havo gone is to show clearly that' somo varieties of. the plant are vastly - superior to. others for tho production of fibre. , "The Department intends, to plant, larger areas with the best varieties, and hopes, to bo able to supply settlers with large numbers of plants of these within a few years, thusenabling the 'flax' areas of ttfe Dominion'to be; extended and "gradually replanted with improved stock. . - ..,•• ■':, "With regard to - of cultivation, the experiments are'not yet sufficiently. advanced to enable tho Department' to . give much advice cm the subject as tho result of .'its own experience, . but, tho following: directions are'generally accepted as correct' "Tho best method of groyving tho plant is from bulbs or roots grown in sets about 6ft. apart from centre to centre. Each set should, consist of three or four smalK roots* placed together at right anglts to each other, the ends, of: the, roots together,-..and .the tops inclined outwards. When grown. in, this. way ■ the plant : ; should attain maturity •in --f#ran threo t0...f0ur.-years,' and this method.gives better results than by growing seed; it;being' generally, understood that plants , grown in the former manner, will mature some three years oarlier than those grown from' seed. VA good, loamy soil is the most suitable for growing tho plant, which thrives best .in a. moist, wann. climate. , ! ; '. . "If, 'however, it is desired to sow the seed, ' the best way is to prepare, say, one-oighth of an acre with finely-worked topsoil, about ; sin. deep,''leaving a .firm siibsoil.-, .The,seed should "bo; sown. in tho autumn, and after '.soaking for a few hours to. assist germination it should be? sown iii drills- nlwut lin. from the surface, covered with fine topsoil, and.kept well irrigated./:, Transplanting may be done,., in' spring over suitably -prepared areas.. .■■■■•■. .■ .■ , ■: "The following■ remarks by Mr. ;. G. M'Gregor,' who has recently-been appointed to 'tho Department as an; expert in the- cultivation of the plant, are given for your infer-, mation:■ ~ ■■.'■■■ ' "This is one of the easiest.plants to grow, is not. in any way affected by frosts or, the most ; severe r : winds,' and - tho plant may be '.left out of.the'ground for'weeks'withouVin.jury.' ; . "In . digging up the plant it is well to ; dig some little distance from the roots, so. as to get well-.under tho-plant, cutting .the large, .-or-main rodts, when it will be found the shoots ,can be easily, broken. or cut off with the spade. Before planting, it is well .to follow the. Native mode; and cut off on a hevel ;from the.roots to x the crown ( (or centre-leaf) all tho outside leaves, leaving the centre on© 1 only, and if'tliat should bo l over,:, 3ft.,to cut it off also. If all the leaves are loft 'on they die 'away and'.retard ".the growth of the young shoots.. ■ : 'In planting, the, ground should be well worked, four roots being planted, together at ngnt angles to one another, the.ends of the roots together,-the tops.to incline-outwards;, the. plants will then have a slanting'position.. This is the method, adopted by. tho Natives; and, in my. opinion, is tho, beqt. , ' , : "If. planted' in x rows I think Were.should bo a. space of not less than 6ft. from "centre to /centre each way. By planting' at this distance apart;, it.will require about '4800 plants to the acre. Needless to say, . the better, the cultivation the better tho result."Tho aim of those who propose-to cultivate the j>lant should be to plant only the best varieties. . ! , : , J ■; .... "' "The. better condition the ground- is in l the moro successful and heavier the yield. - I find -the ' better plan is' to cut-- the plants baok, and well cultivate tho second year af:ter planting. .It'tends to encourage -the - ' plants to : throw out extra shoots.' 1 • have some planted not- quite three years, and although- severely cut' back last year, it must have increased by fully thirty full-grown plants to the crown.\ That is, I plant four roots at opposite angle touching ".at the centre, and in less than throe years.th'ey have increased to.thirty plants. ' - "The average weight-of ordinary sw«mp : flax (not cultivated) required -to give'a, ton of fibro is from eight to nine tons. . Six and three-quarter tons of cidtivated,flax:will'..,return" a ton of fibre. Ordinary iflax country (not cultiyated) wiU . give 'from twentyi' tothirty tons of raw material to the,acre.: 'An acre of cultiyated flax yields from forty-five to' sixty tons 1 of green flax, the principal .reason boing that there is not so much waste, being more fibre to the leaf (or. blade). .. "The cutting of the green flax for' the mill is not.so carefully done as it should be, there. • boing far too- much waste. On no' account should, the centre leaf, be cut. In fact,'; I am of opinion that the , three centre, leaves ' should be left. It would not damage the: roots, ps it certainly does when the centre leaf is cut, and if three .leaves, are left'the flax, would again: be cut a year eirlier—a great consideration. Of oourso, the .expense of, putting would be greater, as more care would be required, and a cutter ..would,,require to oover a larger area to procure the same weight of flax.' < '.. "ROBERT M'NAB."