LAND UTILISATION

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21349, 25 November 1932, Page 3

LAND UTILISATION

FORMS OF PRODUCTION

ECONOMIC ASPECTS REVIEWED

TUNG OIL, TOBACCO AND FLAX

The possibilities of developing the tobacco, tung oil, 'timber and flax industries in New Zealand are reviewed by Dr. E. Marsden, secretary of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research in a discussion of productive forms of land utilisation published in the November issue of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce Journal. He contends that all land not needed for agriculture must be put to constructive use and that the growing of timber, tung oil, flax and tobacco, by constructive human effort, and not as a gift of nature, provides possible forms of regional development if properly financed and scientifically managed.

From the production aspect, in the cases of all four products, the primary conditions, ho says, are choice of suitable varieties of plants and tho suitability of soil and climate, although, in addition, an important condition is the availability of the necessary labour output per unit of labour cost.

Tobacco-growing Prospects "One is not impressed with the suitability for high-quality tobacco of the soil on which plantations have been made 01* contemplated," Dr. Marsden says. "In many cases it is of loam or heavy loam type, somewhat heavy in texture, and perhaps too high in organic matter and nitrogen content to give high quality leaf. In the Nelson district, where great success has been obtained in the production of a high quality tobacco leaf, growers have selected soils of the sandy loam and fino sand category. These soils have proved eminently suitable for high quality leaf production under Nelson climatic conditions."

The organisation of the tobacco industry in the United States had reached such perfection that not only was one type of tobacco restricted to a particular locality, but the tobacco grown in that locality was graded into different grades. The manufacturer could rely absolutely on the type and grade shown on the bales. Ho was disinclined to purchase outside tobacco becauso he was afraid that it might affect his blend, or that, having created a demand for a particular mixture, he would in future not be able to rely on obtaining the exact types and grades which he commenced with. This seemed to be a difficulty New Zealand would have to face in creating an export industry. New Zealand would have to grow sufficient tobacco of particular types and grades to warrant the English manufacturer purchasing her leaf.

Blending of Qualities "Ono is not impressed with the possibilities of high quality tobacco production in certain territories," Dr. Marsden adds. "It may, however, prove possible to grow leaf of somewhat inferior quality which could be mixed with higher quality leaf grown in Nelson and other parts of New Zealand. This, however, would require careful planning and organisation." The main problem with tung oil, as with tobacco, was the selection of sod types situated in climatically suitable localities so that yields would be sufficiently large to compensate for possible lower labour costs in other parts of the world, he proceeds. There was less reliable information than in the case of' tobacco as to the precise soil type and climate required for tung Oil production, which, in New Zealand, had not yet passed the experimental stage. Very likely there were parts of olth Auckland in which tung of a suitable variety could.be successfully raised and the fact that trees only two or three vears of age had flowered successfully the normal age for initial producUon be.ng about five years—was hopeful. It appeal eel doubtful, however, whether the soil type selected in all cases would be suitabl for high yields, and possibly some of the soils selected were not of sufficiently light texture or of high enough natural fei--11 Much work would be required on the identification of different strains of tung plants and the propagation of those which cave the best results under Isew Zealand climatic conditions. That there would be a market for the oil, when produced seemed very likely. Provided suitable soil was obtained, and proper manurial treatment and management was undertaken, one felt there was a reasonable chance of commercial success, although at existing prices prudent and economic management would be necessary.

Economic Flax Production

."The economic growing of flax is yet another case of suitability of sod and variety," continues Dr. Marsdcn. Only a proportion of the flax development companies launched during the last decade •ire likely to prove economically successful owing to lack of sufficient attention to these two aspects. It is only in the last few years that definite information on these questions has been assembled. The price of phormium has slumped along with other hard fibres, but it is probable that, starting do novo, using information now available, as a result of expcriman and accumulated experience, phormium fibre could be produced economically for export at present prices. "Probably 75 per cent, of all commercial -planting v has been done without enough attention having been given to selection of stock. Many good varieties of phormium have been isolated or developed, and some of these are better suited to one type of soil than are others. Ihe safe method is to use for planting seedlings or fans of good varieties which have proved their cropping power and quality of fibre under the projected condition of the scheme of planting.

Marketing Possibilities

"Using suitable fans and soils, it should be possible to establish flax areas at a cost of about £35 per acre, and to deliver green flax at a mill close to the plantation at 10s per ton green fibre. If we allow eight tons of preen leaf to one ton <?f fibre we thus obtain £4 a ton for our raw fibre without manufacturing costs. The present market price is about £ls a ton for prepared and baled fibre. The problem then rests with economic mechanical treatment'. There need be no uncertainty as to the marketing of phormium if it bo produced at a price approximating these figures, for it will be competitive for cordage, sacking or cellulose." In a concluding reference to the 550,000 acres of Government and private timber lands, Dr. Marsden comments on the lack of data concerning production and utilisation and says it is very necessary that there should be compiled an authoritative account of the volume or yield of all existing plantations, carefully related to species, climate, soil and altitude. The whole question needed careful study by a competent team of workers. A comprehensive report of this nature would be a safe basis for the future.