FLAX AND HEMP.

Otago Witness, Issue 1865, 19 August 1887, Page 7

FLAX AND HEMP.

The following interesting letter was read at the last meeting of directors of the Temuka Linseed Company : — To the Chairman and Gentlemen of the Temuka

L O.C. and F. Company (Limited). Gentlemen, — For several months past; (while we have been giving more than ordinary attention to the introduction oF further machinery necessary for the successful manufacture of various twines, &c.) it has occurred to me that it will be equally necessary for us to remind shareholders and farmers generally of the necessity of growing a limited acreage, wherever suitable and convenient lands can be found, and thus ensure a stock of fibre equal to the manufacturing capabilities of our plant for a year. Such land exists in the immediate neighbourhood of our mills. With hemp and flax, as with many other crops, the benefit of ploughing before, or early in the winter, is easily noticeable, but I am afraid few lots will have received such treatment this year, which will demand the greater care and scrutiny of those who have to select blocks for ploughing and sowing in quick succession.

Up to the present time flax (as a spring crop) has entirely ursurped the attention of fibre producers ; but as the manufacture of twines, small ropes, &c, for colonial markets are considered more likely to prove remunerative than shipping lint to the Home market, I should strongly advocate the introduction of hemp as au additional, desirable, and remunerative crop. I should not like to see it introduced to binder or

injure the cultivation of flax ; but for fair trial to be obtained between the two, as to their average return per acre, suitability for twine and rope making, &c. The following remarks I have obtained from sundry writers. Hemp, which is an annual, is extensively cultivated, and the various uses of its seeds, and the fibres of its skin or outer rind, render it an important item in the world's commerce. The former are largely used as feed for poultry and small birds, as well as for the production of an expressed oil, which is very good for burning, and extensively used by painters. The latter are made into cordage, ropes, cables, cloth of every quality, from that used for ship's sails to the fineness of linen.

In England, the stem, which is herbaceous, attains the height, of 6ft to Bft. The "male" and " female " flowers are on separate stems, the former resembling those of the hop, while the latter is inconspicuous, and the fruit is a little capsule, containing a single seed. In its native climate of India and Persia, the plant emits a powerful odour, with intoxicating and narcotic properties, which causes it to be valued in Eastern countries for mixing with tobacco for smoking. The narcotic property becomes extinct as the plant gets naturalised in cooler climates, which is now the case throughout North Asia, Europe, and America. In the latter country the hemp plant is now quite common by road sides, &c.

Although this plant was known to the ancients, they seem to have been ignorant of the existence of, or the method of preparing its fibres, as flax alone was used.

The British consumption of hemp is prodigious, which will be somewat illustrated by the fact that the sails and cordage of one first-class ship of war require 180,0001b of rough hemp for their composition. Only the coarser kiuds of hemp are employed in twine and ropemaking, the finer sorts being used for hempen linen, which, although coarser than that made from flax, is yet incomparably stronger, and quite as easily bleached by new and old processes. Hempen linen improves in colour by wear, whilst that from flax decays. It's prices vary very much according to quality, the finer qualities being sometimes highly prized for their strength and warmth. The hemp grown and manufactured in England is far superior to the generality of foreign, and that grown in Suffolk is always considered too fine and valuable for the manufacture of cordage.

An extraordinary property is accredited to this plant — viz., that of driving away almost all .. insects which feed upon other vegetables, wherefore the farmers in various parts of Europe frequently sow a belt all round their fields to j protect the respective crops. In Alsace the plant sometimes attains the extraordinary height of 12ft, with a stem 3in in circumference. In Catalonia it reaches 7ft. Judging from the height attained by flax on suitable land in our district, when sown in good time, it is only reasonable to expect 6ft or 7ft as the result with hemp, when favourably treated. In Italy hemp is a general crop, especially in the North, round J Milan and Bologna. It is there sown upon the j best lands, composed of strong loams, which, with careful tillage and considerate manuring, will yield several remunerative crops in succession, although I should by no means advocate a repetition of cropping, as conducive to beneficial results in the end. Hemp grown on poor laud produces a finer fibre, but the proportionate decrease in bulk more than counteracts the advantage gained by extra price. In England there are reasons for not sowing hemp before the middle of April or beginning of # May, but in this part of New^ealand, as long as land is in a fit state and weather favourable, I should (as in the case of flax) prefer the end of August or beginning of September, as the plant has a chance of being fully developed and attaining a considerable height before the arrival of our hot winds and, too often, considerable drought. The advantage of early sowing does not end here: an early harvest is ensured about the middle or end ot December, with the longest days and warm nights to accelerate all the operations from harvesting to drying and stacking after the retting pits or pools.

As far as I can ascertain, not more than two bushels of seed per acre should be used, and even less, when deposited with drill. As these are European hints it will be necessary for New Zealand growers to make their own experiments and be guided by the results for future operations. In countries where the production of seed and fibre is of equal importance, and where labour is proportionately low, the crop is gathered at two distinct harvests, with an inter vai of about a month. This i.s owing to the male plants, which outnumber the female, becoming ripe on the falling of the flowers and pollen, while the latter, with increased room, require another month to bring the seed to maturity.

As fibre is benefited by harvesting hemp or flax rather nml- r limn over ripe, I consider that the advantage-- to be gained by cutting" suitable crops (instead of pulling) together with the superiority of the fibre, would more than compensate for any loss arising from the immaturity of the seed. It will always be necessary from, year to year, that carefully selected, clean crops should be allowed to ripen for seed, and to supply land as different from that on which it was grown us is possible. Such change conduces much to maintain the vigour of the plant. Seed crops (especially flax) benefit by being sown much thinner than when intended for fibre alone, or principally. After the removal of seed the stem is still available for fibre.

After successfully growing and harvesting a crop, the next important consideration is removing the seed and getting the stems retted and dried with all possible dispatch, after which they must be safely stacked or dressed. For stacking, doubtless, skeleton barns or " mows " will be found of great use, especially with companies, as a stack can always be built under the roof, and left in safety from the weather. A very desirable and important addition to the usual farm requisites (where the growth o? fibres is being followed) is the utilisation of any indentations or gullies for catching and damming back top water, or that conveyed by a race from a suitable creek. By allowing a seasonable accumulation of water, with time to raise its temperature, more than half the expense of retting, as now carried on, could be saved, and the quality of fibre proportionately improved. Numbers of such pools could be established with very little expense on most farms in this district, and would greatly tend to the ultimate success of the undertaking. In Suffolk, four to six days are found sufficient for steeping hemp in stagnant water, but only trial can determine what time will answer the peculiarities of this climate. The same water can be used three times during the season; but the first lot steeped will retain the best colour. In the pools the bundles should be laid crosswise over each other, thus facilitating their withdrawal without getting intermingled. The slenderest hemp requires the longest steeping, and the operation is known to be completed by the inner reed, or wood}' matter, separating freely when gently pulled from the rind or outer bark, which contains the fibre. When thoroughly steeped, its immediate removal and spreading for drying is all important, as an hour lost in the long sunny days is a discount off the final net value of the fibre to be used for twines and rope. Where whiteness of the. fibre is of

moment for finer manufactures, three weeks are often occupied in this operation, with regular systematic turning at set intervals. In our case when once dried, it may be immediately stacked from the weather, or passed on to the breaking machine, thence through sundry operations till it is converted into the desired twine or rope, The relative proportionate strength of flax and hemp are: Flax, 11 J; hemp, 16J.

Undoubtedly obtainable information re the growth and manipulation of hemp is almost inexhaustible, but from what I have been able to search into, I find its treatment in separating the fibre from the waste part of the stem is literally the same as that practised on flax. Some months ago, having mentioned my favourable opinion of it, as a fibre-producing crop, co some interested in the cause, I was induced to endeavour to obtain some reliable seed for sowing this spring, which I have done through Messrs Nimmo and Blair, who expect it out in due course by direct steamer. They have ordered specially for sowing for fibre crop.— I am, &c, Edw. Pilbrow.