TREATMENT OF FLAX.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 17 January 1929, Page 6

TREATMENT OF FLAX.

“WASH” RESEARCH. For some time now two representatives of Donah lit cl., ■Christchurch (Mrs Wed berg and Mr Evans) have been engaged in research work in the Manawatu district in regard to perfecting a “wash” which eliminates “paddocking” in reference to the hemp industry. Mrs Hedberg and Mr Evans have visited the majority of the mills in the district and towards the end of last year carried out a series of tests at Whitaunui mill at Moutoa.

At Saturday’s meeting of the N.Z. Flaxmillers’ Association, held in Foxton, Messrs Oonah Ltd., wrote thanking the President for the assistance accorded the experimenters during their visit to the Manawatu, and inti mated that they had every reason to believe that under proper conditions their washes will improve the fibre and eliminate paddocking and that they were now in the process of considering ways and means to apply the washes on a commercial basis.

The President (Mr C. 11. Spcirs) said that a few days ago a representative of the firm visited him at Shannon with a request that he be allowed to carry out further experimental work at his mill at Shannon. As he had been unable to accede to the request he had suggested that ho get i’i touch with some of the other millers.

Mr A. Seifert reported that the experimenters were now located at Miranui where they intended stripping several tons of green blade and treating it with their new process to eliminate paddocking. Mr Seifert also stated that a Palmerston North man had a chemical process for treating the green blade and -his process was to boil the liax in a chemical solution for aboct twenty mintes, at the conclusion of which the vegetation could be rolled or scraped off. Mr J. S. Moir said that the experimenters had received assistance from the Department of Agriculture during their sojourn at Whitannui. The Department appeared to lie very confident over the new process. Mr Seifert stated that the Department of Agriculture v.as evincing a good deal of interest in the llax industry and appeared to be doing what it .could for it.

The hope was expressed that some worth while process would be discovered at an early date. —ileriald.