THE MANUFACTURE OF PHORMIUM.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4127, 12 June 1874, Page 3

THE MANUFACTURE OF PHORMIUM.

0 TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —I beg to enclose you Mr. C. Thorne’s reply to the following queries sent by mo to him, with specimens of the phormium dressed by my scraping process. Yon will notice that tho No. 1 sample (bad color), dried and sent direct from the machine, is so good in quality as to bo valued £5 per ton in advance of best dressed fibre prepared by the stripping or bruising process. Further, you will perceive that the same fibre, sample No. 3, with the addition of washing and soaking in running water, is valued at an advance of £lO per ton over it, and £ls over the ordinary quality sent to England. As they are prepared at less cost, from absence of bleaching and its attendant waste, probably the flax interest has now, as Mr. Thome observes, a fair prospect of revival. If such prices are offered in the present depressed state of the trade at home, 25 per cent, advance may be fairly calculated upon as an average value.—l am, &c., Charles J. Pownaix. Wellington, 11th June. C. Thome, Esq., Loudon. . Sir, —Herewith I send you five specimens of phormium cleaned by my scraping machine. Be good enough to say if all or any are suitable to the Dundee market, and point out any defects, specifying the numbers of samples, and their probable relative values for my guidance to work to, as they are all taken from hanks preserved and numbered here. No. 1 sample—length 9 feet : Color’, green ; dried artificially, and sent as it left scraping machine, without washing or scutching. No. 2—length 9 feet ; Color, fair ; scraping machine, washed, dried, scutched, and completed in two hours. No. 3—length 9 feet : Color, purest white ; washed, soaked in running water for half an hoar, dried, scutched, and finished in three hours. No. 4—length 0 feet : Color, light brown ; scraping machine, washed, and grass bleached for forty-eight hours, scutched. No. s—length 5 feet ; Color, pearl white ; eighteen mouths’ growth, washed, soaked, dried, scutched. 16, Mark Lane, E.C., London, April 13,187-i. Charles J. Pownall, Esq., Wellington, N.Z. Dear Sir, —On my return to town on the 9th instant X found your letter of the Bth of February, and tho parcel of samples referred to therein, awaiting me. I do not remember having had the pleasure of meeting you, but doubt not you are quite correct in saying we have met. It is a pity your samples are so small, as it is very difficult to arrive at a definite opinion with so little to examine ; but, judging from these samples, you seem to have succeeded better than anyone whose samples have come under my notice, and if you can prepare fibre equal to these on a large scale at a moderate cost, you stand a fair chance of reviving a Colonial trade by redeeming the character of “ phormium.” There is no doubt if fibre similar to your samples Nos. 2 and 3 was regularly sent forward, it would soon establish a market for itself and be much sought for. The first two or three invoices might probably not show a satisfactory result, as they would be purchased more as trial samples ; and owing to the way many have been disappointed in their previous attempts to use the “ phormium” as usually imported, they of course would not believe in any particular mark, however well it might look, until they had proved by actual results the superiority of tho fibre. Ido not think your No. 4 would realise so much for textile as for roping purposes, as I fancy it would not hackle down fine enough to make small numbers of yarn, ’ and for the larger numbers it would have to compete with hemp, which can he supplied at a cheap price. No. 5 is soft and fine, and I fancy could he heckled down for a mixture with fine flax, but in tho absence of sufficient quantity to heckle, I should not like to offer an opinion definitely. Owing to the state of our markets it is difficult to give values, but I think the following may be taken as a fair approximation. Probably when you receive this I may have ceased to take further practical interest in “phorraium,” although I sincerely trust the industry will progress and benefit the colonists of New Zealand,—Truly yours, C. Thorne. No. I.—Bad color ; not sufficiently clean ; strong—£2o to £2B. No. 2.—Good color ; bright ; fairly clean ; strong—£3o to £32, No. 3,-—Very good color; bright; well cleaned ; strong—£33 to £35. No. 4.—Off in color ; soft and clean ; rather weak ; would run to tow in heckling—£32. No. s.—Fine soft fibre (if after heckling it should be found useful for spinning), probable value—£3s to £3B.