CULTURE OF FLAX FROM THE SEED.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 14, Issue 1125, 8 February 1870, Page 3

CULTURE OF FLAX FROM THE SEED.

[From the " Southern Cross."! We gave in our issue of Monday last the letter of Mr. J. Cox, in reference to the growth of flax from the seed. The letter was, however, necessarily very brief, and many important points were missed. The growth of flax from the seed has, we believe, been a problem all along. The natives- themselves have pronounced it impossible to produce flax plants from the seed, and we do not remember to have heard of any experiment on a large scale either by Europeans or natives. We have obtained some valuable information from Mr. J. Cox, who, it would seem, has solved this difficult problem. He has been a settler in the colony since the year 1840, when he lauded in Auckland. During the period of his residence in the province he has devoted considerable attention to experiments in flax-dressing, and he was for many years engaged in-prosecuting his inquiries before he discovered the best method of separating the gummy matter from the fibre. At length with the aid of a few boys and a simple machine, he succeeded in dressing 30cwfc. of the raw material, and produced 7cwt. of prepared fibre per day. He registered the machine, as the patent laws were not then in operation, but he has since obtained a patent for it. Mr. Cox visited Ivawhia some ten or twelve years ago for the express purpose of instituting inquiries amongst the natives there as to whether or not flax plants could be produced from the seed pods ; but neither from the missionaries nor the Maoris could he obtain any definite information on the subject. Notwithstanding this, however, he still continued to experiment with the view of solving the problem. He tried every experiment that suggested itself, but without success ; in every case the seeds were found to have lain in the ground without sprouting. In ordinary cases the seed is Teleased from the pod and falls to the ground, where it lies without germinating for months. On examination, Mr. Cox found that the seed was covered with a bright coating, which effectually preserved it from the softening influence of moisture, and prevented the kernel from germinating. The olive seed possesses the same property, and is made to germinate by passing through the stomach of a bird, the seed being forced by the animal heat to which it is exposed in the operation. The flax seed, however, so far as he ascertained, is not eaten by any bird, but the flax plant is produced from offshoots. Mr. Cox then continued his experiments, with the object of substituting some process for that which the olive seed is known to pass through before germination ; and at length ho hit upon the following plan : He procured some healthy seed, and placed them in cold water, when it was found that they floated ou the surface. He then placed the vessel containing the water upon an American stove, the heat of which was increased so as to heat the water to 110 degrees of Fahrenheit. At the same time he set the seeds in motiou so as to fully expose them to the action of the warm water, and continued to watch the result for three or four hours. At the end of that time one of the seeds sank, and Mr. Cox knew that tho vexed problem was solved. Within half-an-hour every seed had sunk, and they were then removed ; and next day, a box having been procured full of soil, the seeds were placed in it, and sprinkled lightly with mould. The box remained some time in the yard of hjs house at Freeman's Bay, and after about six weeks' careful tending he found that several of the seeds had sprouted from one-sixteenth to oneeighth of an inch. The green visible above tho ground unmistakably showed, by its shape and hue, that it was young flax. On further examination it was found that about a dozen seeds out of some thirty had germinated. Mr. Cox at thisjuncture was most unfortunately called away at a moment's notice to proceed with the erection of a mill in the Waikato ; and upon his return he found that the box had been overturned by some cows or goats that had got into the yard. Mr, Cox lias counted about thirteen varieties of flax seed. Settlers in tho bush who have not a thermometer can regulate the heat of the water in which the flax seeds are put by placing in their hands. The moment the heat begins to get uncomfortable it should be reduced. Mr. Cox considers it of tho utmost importance to properly regulate the heat, . as 30 or 40 degrees in excess of the amount of heat required, 110 Fahrenheit, would probably kill the seed. We have now at our office a sample of the flax seed, and shall be happy to supply a small quantity to any one who may desire to experiment on. it.