NEW ZEALAND FLAX.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXV, Issue 1686, 12 May 1866, Page 2 (Supplement)

NEW ZEALAND FLAX.

TO THE EDITOR OP THE LYTTELTON TIMES, Sin,— I The interest now excited by Mr. McMill an's supposed discovery of a new method of manufacturing the pliormium tcnax fibre, induces me to ask you to publish the accompanying paper, read by me before the extinct Philosophical Institute of Canterbury on the 3rd of Nov., 1862, from which you will see that I suggested the same mode of operation some years ago. It will be observed, that I used carbonate of soda, instead of cow dung, or sea water,but I believe that the only result obtained by using any oneof these articles is the softening of the parenchyma, a similar process being constantly applied by cooks to cabbage. Yours, Sc., , W. T. L. TEAVEGS. Chnstchurch, April 23,18G6.

REMARKS ON THE UTILIZATION OF

THE PHORMWM TENAX.

By W. T. L, Travers, Esq,, Christchorch. SiR.-In considering the natural resources of this colony, there is nothing more calculated to arrest the attention than the abundance and general distribution of the plant popularly known as the New Zealand Flax; and we find, in effect, from a perusal of the various works' which have been published on New Zealand, that this plant has always been looked upon with very great interest, both in tho colony and in Europe. The interest thus created is due to the presence, in the leaves of the plant, of a large quantity of woody tissue, analogous to that produced from the hemp, and many attempts have accordingly, from time to time been made, to utilize this tissue. I will not venture to go into the causes which have hitherto rendered these attempts abortive, but I may remark that they have had the unfortunate effect of checking further enterprize, by creating an opinion, that the fibre cannot be separated from the leaves, in a state fit for manufacturing purposes, except at a cost far exceeding its value. One cause of failure, however, I will notice, namely, that the capital hitherto employed in our local flax-works has been too small to test its value in a satisfactory manner, for it may be laid down as a postulate, that no article of commerce requiring new appliances to render it useful, will find a market in England, unless manufaeturersJhere can be assured of a large and continuous supply. In using the word ''flax," as applied to the Pkrmium tenax, it must not be supposed that the plant belongs to the natural order Linaces, It helongs to the order Liliaca ofJussieu, and is thus botanically described by Dr. J. D Hooker, in his work on the Flora of New Zealand-.

" Leaves equitant at the base, full of strong fibre, also secreting a gummy exudation. Scapes panicled above, with alternate bracteate branches. Flowers curved, jointed on to stout pedicels 1-2 inches long, erect. Perianth tubular, of six erect pieces, three inner spreading at the tip. Stamens, excerted. Fruit, a long blunt triangular capsule, threevalved, valves membranous or coriaceous, black, more or less twisted or straight. Seeds very numerous in each cell, two rowed, flattened, with a loose black testa;" and he adds that the name " Phormium" is derived from the Greek word Phormion, a basket, in allusion to the use to which the leaves are put by the natives.

It will be observed, that in the above botanical description of the Pkrmium tenax, Dr. Hooker particularly notices the existence of the fibre which gives its principal interest to the plant, and the gummy exudation which lias been looked upon as a detrimental quality in the leaf. Now, in considering whether this fibre can be turned to useful commercial purposes, we are led to inquire, in the first place, into.the question of supply oftherawleaf. Thosewho have had anyopportunity of travelling over these islands cannot fail to have been struck with the extensive distribution of the Pkrmium tenax. In almost every locality, whether on the mountain side or in the river bed, in the narrow valley or on the broad plain, we see it growing more or less abundantly. In many places, thousands of acres continuously are covered with it; and it would not bo too much to say that within a few miles of Christchurch alone there are many thousands of acres upon which it is growing with more than average luxuriance. There cannot, in fact, be the least doubt of its abundance as a mere natural production, and we may confidently assert that if the fibre can be economically separated in a condition fit for the English market, the natural supply is not likely to be exhausted for many years to come. I may add, moreover, in reference to supply, that from actual experiment I have ascertained that average flax land in its natural growth will yield from ten to twelve tons of raw leaf per acre, without injury to the plants, I have also ascertained, from actual experiment, that the average qnatitity of fibre obtainable from fi|ll grown leaves is little less than one-tenth of the weight of the leaves themselves; or, in other words, that the acre of ordinary flax land, in its natural state, would yield close upon twenty-four hundredweight of pure fibre per annum, without any outlay whatsoever for cultivation.

This fact alone shows the importance of endeavouring to turn the fibre to account. You have now before you the fibre separated from leaves of various lengths, as shown in the following table : Xumber Number ■,„.,. Leiiatli ofspeci. of height w J tt Weight of men. leaves. ,vh(mcut ' leaf, clean fibre. —— —— —————— ■ .—^___ 11). oz, feet, oz. 1 3 10 o 2& a fraction. 'I 2 012 o U 3 3 010 4 1

You will observe that tho weight of fibre in each case bears a nearly average proportion to that of the leaf from which it was extracted, and as the leaves grew on various kinds of soil we may fairly assume that this proportion is not liable to much variation. Assuming, then, that the supply from natural sources would he sufficient to meet demand for some years to come, it still remains to be considered whether the fibre can be economically separated from tho leaf, and whether, when separated, it can be turned to profitable account.

The first point is one which lias long excited attention, and the General Government of the colony some time ago offered a considerable reward (£2OOO, I believe) for the production of 100 tons of fibre, in a state to be merchantable in Europe. I am not aware that the reward has ever been claimed, and it is not ray place here to inquire, whether the conditions attached to it were calculated to produce the results aimed at. I cannot help thinking, however, that these results could have been equally well attained had the quantity required been limited to ten or twenty tons, instead of one hundred tons; provided it were at the same time shown that

an unlimited supply of the article produced could afterwards have been procured. Returning to the question, whether the fibre can be economically extracted from tho leaf, I think I shall be able to show that this can be done, by a process similar in effect to that by which tho fibre before you has been obtained.

You aro doubtless aware, that beneath tho epidermis or outer covering of the leaf, we And a layer of collular tissue, technically tcrmod tho parenchyma, by which the fibrous tissuo is surrounded. You are also probably aware, that the fibrous tissue may be separated from the collular tissue by maceration, and, indeed, it is by this means that the fibre of the European flax is usually separated from tho bark of the plant which produces it, Of course it is important that the fibre should be separated without injuring its strength. Now the method by which the fibre before you was obtained, was as follows :- The leaves were boiled for two hours with a small quantity of washing soda. 'After becoming cold, they were bruised 80 as to break up the parenchymatous tissue, and render it easily separable from the fibrous tissue. When well bruised, the leaves were agitated in running water, until, as you will observe, the whole of the epidermis and the greater part of the parenchyma were removed, leaving the fibre as you now see it. In order to carry out the same process on a large scale we should require to use machi■ery.

In the first place, the leaves should either be boiled or subjected to the action of steam in a close vessel. After boiling, they should be loosely twisted or plaited into an endless rope, some ten or twelve yards in length, and from three to four inches in diameter. Two coils of this rope should then be passed between grooved horizontal rollers, eighteen inches long and about fourteen Inches in diameter, one aboie the other, the lower one moved by machinery, and the upper one pressed on to the lower one by a sufficient weight to secure its contemporaneous but slower revolution, and also to secure the effectual crushing of the parenchymatous tissue. About ten feet below the rollers should be placed a trough, in which the loose part of the rope should lie, previous to its passing through the rollers, and through which a stream of clear water should run. Every part of the crushed ropes would thus lie in the trough for Bomo time after passing through' the rollers, and the running water would gradually remove nearly every particle of the epidermis and parenchyma, leaving nothing but the fibre in the condition in which you now see it. When this process has been completed, the ropes should be hung up to dry, and when dry, be broken into lengths or packed whole in bales, as the case might be.

This process, as you will observe, is a very simple one, but still two questions arise.

1. Is it tconomical ? 2. Is the fibre injured by it ? The first question involves a matter of mere calculation.

The machinery is of a very inexpensive character, and, if worked by water-power, the cost of working is reduced to the minimum.

In order to prepare the ropes for passing through the rollers we should have to provide :

1. For cutting the flax and tying it into bundles of, say, 112 lbs. each. 2. For collecting these bundles together for carting. 3. For the carting to the mill. 4. For boiling the leaf. 5. For_ plaiting or twisting it when boiled, and for watching the further operations.

I am of opinion, taking the present value of labour and fuel into account, that the fibre can be produced at the mill at a gross cost of from £9 to £lO per ton, in condition equal to that now before you. I will now proceed to make a few remarks upon the question whether the fibre produced by the above process can be turned to profitable account. In this question are involved both local and foreign demand. As regards local demand, I know that some hundreds of tons of pkrmium flax, in the condition of the imported samplo marked A, now before you, are annually used in this colony for stuffing mattrasses and other upholstering purposes. I know also that flax, in similar condition to that which I have prepared for your inspection, has been long and largely used in neighbouring provinces in the manufacture of rope and lines of various kinds, and that it commands a ready sale for those purposes.

From enquiries that 1 have made among«t upholsterers here, I find that the flax at present consumed by them in the manufacture of mattrasses &c, costs them on an average £35 per ton, and that they reckon not less than five per cent as waste. From former inquiries in other parts of the colony, I am led to believe, that fibre in the condition of that before you, would be readily purchased at from £26 to £2B per ton for the same purposes, and for manufacture into rope and lines, and I believe that a still larger quantity would be used for tiiese several purposes, if the raw material could be regularly supplied at £25 per ton.

I also believe, that if a large and continuous supply of a quality similar to that now shown to you were guaranteed to English manufacturers, it would command from £25 to £2B per ton in England for rope-making purposes alone, for although the rope manufactured from it might not possess the same excellent qualities, in all things, as that made from the fibre of the European hemp, there can be no doubt of the applicability of the ■rope to various useful purposes, for which its comparative cheapness would greatly recommend it.

I find the following notice in reference to the applicability of this flix to textile manufactures in volume Vof thetransactions of the Royal Society of Victoria, 5i a letter addressed by Dr. Mueller to the Governor of Victoria, in October 1860. ;

Sir,—l have the honour (Acknowledge the receipt of your letter dated lith October, accompanied by a copy of a dispatch from tho Undor Secretary of Stato for tbo Colonies, desiring information on such plants yielding textile fibro as m'C indigenous to tho colony if Viotdria, and aro likely to supply a want of ray matorial for British manufactures. j Whilst, in compliance wltli his Excellency tho Governor's request, I bog todibmit such informa-' tion as I possess on tho iidigenoas vegetablo fibres, I regret .that I cannot point to any nativo plant oxtensively available forthe desired purpose, or holding out the prospect ofkccessful introduction into British manufactured But it appears to ino that itho two varieties of New Zealand Has (Fhomwl tenax) aro deserving of especial attention, asjikoly to supply tho wanting material to British wavers, tho strength of tho phomium fibro being |lmost equal to that ot silk, and littlo doubt boi&g cntortainod that finally tho genius of inventioi will overcomo tho hitherto experienced dillicullr offsoparating, by an easy method, without sacrijeo ot tho material's strength, tho fibro from tho leaves. I beg further to draw attention to tho oxtromo ; facility with which tliis plant bight bo reared on placos not availablo for any otlpr cultivation (such as margins of swamps, inundatod margins of lakes, &c.); further, to its groat vigour of growth, to tho probability of its proving quito hardy in tho southot parts of England and Ireland, and to tho ccrtaiify of its cultivation being attended with full succefc in South Europe, and therefore in proximity to '.ho British market, and undor tho advantago of cl|ap labour. Such an opinion is of eltretne value, and shews that wo have liithcio underrated the importance o£ this source of Wealth. | The real difficulty in rcgid to the application of tho Phormium flax lo manufacturing I purposes generally lins lißierto been the limit in supply, but 1 have reason to believe, that if a constant and laroj supply could be ensured, it would, as I liuvijbefore stated, be worth at least from £25 k £2B per ton in London. i It will thus bo seen, that loth for local use and for exportation, this ni|icle affords nn opportunity for the profitably employment of capital, but I am satisfied tlu| profit can only be derived where its production is undertaken on a large scale. j Upon the question whether-the strength of the fibre is injured by the picess of separation mentioned in this paper,| have no means of stating anything conclude. I nm of opinion that it is not in anjjdegree injured, and I found that opinion upm the following ,

passage from a recent work, detailing the progress of useful inventions,

" Recent schemes for preparing flax have excited great attention. Those of Chevalier Claußsen are the most important. The first nttempt was to prepare long flax fibre for ordinary linen manufacture, Four hundred weight of flax in the straw was boiled in a stone vat in water, containing caustic alkali, the boiling lasted four hours, which was said to ' ret' or separate tho fibres as effectually as an ordinary steeping of a week's duration, It is asserted also that the fibre is developed in uniform strength, that it is less discoloured than by tho old process, and that much more of the glutinous or gummy matter is removed. The flax was removed from the alkaline liquid and steeped for two hours in water, slightly acidulated with sulphuric acid; this effected the cleansing of the flax, and at the same time rendered the straw a more \ valuable manure than it would otherwise be. The flax was then in a fit state to be Bcutched and prepared by the ordinary flax apparatus," It would be interesting and satisfactory, however, if some person, qualified to do so would undertake the experiments necessary to determine this point. I must apologise for the crude and imperfect manner in which I have treated this important subject, and trust that these few remarks will elicit further observations from gentlemen around me, who are far better qualified than myself to do it justice.