FLAX GRADING

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21470, 19 April 1933, Page 18

FLAX GRADING

SUGGESTIONS CRITICISED Criticising suggestions made by Mr. Alexander Steven in an article on flax grading, Mr. G. W. Smcrle writes: " Mr. Steven condemns the present flux grading, and suggests that perfect grading could bo accomplished only then when the leaves of similar age are cut, milled, baled and graded separately. Every miller knows that the present grading is not perfect and b.ised mostly on the colour of the fibre, but Mr. Steven's suggestion to get the cutter to give you five-year leaf or four-year leaf as the case may he is quite impracticable. There is not a growing leaf five jears, four years or three years old. The oldest leaf is about two years old and then tho tip is drying up already. The difference of colour of the leaves in one fan is very slight indeed and the cost of cutting and carting would be prohibitive. " The majority of the flax millers sort the leaves according to their length and mill, and prepare each length separately, but that does not improve the colour or make an even strand. " The main cause of the difference in the fibre is due to the different varieties being mixed and milled together, livery flax worker knows a, red-butted and a white-butted flax, but there are nany varieties of red and also of whitebutted flax. The fibre in the varieties varies as to quantity and quality. There are varieties with 2.5 per cent of very poor fibre, and there are varieties with 22.4. per cent of very good fibre. " A good improvement in the grading would be to class the hanks according to their appearance and then grade them. Such method of grading the fibre of flax Linum usit is used in some of the European countries growing flax for linen. " Unless the growing of our flax is carried on on proper agricultural lines with the best varieties, the industry will not progress, notwithstanding the fact that our Phormium ten ax produces more fibre on a given area than any of the 1926 other fibre plants known in the world."