Fibre from Tussock Grass.

Otago Witness, Issue 1810, 30 July 1886, Page 8

Fibre from Tussock Grass.

For some fortnight past there has been on view at the Chamber of Commerce specimens of fibre extracted fro7n the New Zealand tussock grass, which grows m such abundance m nearly every part of the colouy. These specimens were forwarded to the committee by Mr Forsyth, who has recently obtained a patent for his process for extracting fibre from vegetable bodies— principally poa, rhea, lint, and snowgrass, and their several varieties. The principle Mr Forsyth seems to have proceeded upon is that fermentation m the vegetable is equivalent to putrefaction m the animal kingdom, and that the coating that nature provides for the fibre of plants is removed by fermentation. His process, therefore, involves first fermentation, then pressing, and then washing m caustic soda &c, to extract the vegetable matter. As Mr Forsyth m times past has had large experience m the manufacture of fibre m Yorkshire, where he had charge of the machinery m the industrial homes erected for the purpose, he must be taken to be thoroughly conversant with his subject, and m fact so much is shown by the ingenuity of the machines he has constructed for his experiments. Whether or no the invention will accomplish all he predicts for it remains of course to be seen, but it is to be hoped, at all events.yie will find^ no difficulty m obtaining a fair test as to its value. The New Zealand tussock ?s one of the numerous family known as the " Poa," but it has come to differ very much m characteristics and the mass of fibre it yields from the ordinary specimens — a difference which Mr Forsyth attributes to the fact that the plant has stood for years the severe climatic tests of our high terrace land, with the result that the weakest died out and the strongest survived. The fibre obtained from tussocks taken from the high terrace land Mr Forsyth pronounces to be superior m quality. By his calculations, which he professes are not founded on any extravagant basis, but upon the best authority obtainable, Mr Forsyth puts the average yield at four tons per acre, and the value of the fibre at £30 per ton. Allowing for a loss of 50 per cent, m the preparation, he thus makes a gross return of £60 per acre. The yield of fibre he estimates will be about 64 per cent on the ripe dry grass Judging from the cost of this grass delivered m Dunedin, he considers that it could be delivered to a mill m the country, near the place of growth, for £1 per ton, enabling the fibre to be extracted at a cost of about £8 or £9 a ton. Even this cost of cutting and collecting the tussock by manual labour would by no means compete with the reaper and binder when legitimate business was organised ; but Mr Forsyth considers it would be the best method of proceeding until the seed from the plant could be collected m such a quantity as to enable farmers to cultivate it on their lands. It would, moreover, he opines, provide lucrative employment for the many unemployed at present m the colony. Such is briefly "Mr Forsyth's idea as to the manner m which his invention should be utilised. He has submitted the specimens of tussock fibre to one wellknown rope manufacturing firm m Dunedin, and they state their opinion that it is too fine for rope, but should be useful for navy canvas, tarpaulins, horse cloths, pack thread, &c. The committee of the Chamber of Commerce have yet to pronounce judgment upon the discovery, and we sincerely wish Mr Forsyth success with his venture.