NEW ZEALAND FLAX.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 97, 30 May 1914, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND FLAX.

'^''•' , :'- SCOTTISH CKEfcWN: v '—:■-. - ' r • (Plror* •:•«.•* 'inium the fibre' of .which forms i such an important;;item,tof ; export/ from. • ;the Donnnion,,will.grow., readily .in: any ..- country Vi.th ,fv" climate similar £o JfcKajfc of its .own*.habitant.; ,It. liices:inpisliife,...' "'- [and in the British: Isles ,i'| thrives ..-V I equally.as well, as in has been grown in the south',of'lreland: ' , for some years, and. on la. suffici'enti'y ; wide ;S.cale to enablev'a.'.tegt to be made Of the.. fibre. In. the .south . of. Scotland : . considerable atientipn is being paid to its cultivation on waste land, and', in viqw. of the satipfaet.ory way, in which t'he plantsrnay;e',gr;own an<V '. mat Well, steady progress 6i the 'industry ls'"'e.x- ' '"' ; pected. Recently, a tnal.wasmade'.of' a .'} [ hew flax-dressing'machine desigrioj 1 ' by -'■'' 'Mr- Ernest tVri£ht,' and thMibre of the .Scpttisivgrtfwn' &i± ■ x was sai/l to'exceed"flic, Key £eajand pro-^ ;'\ duet iii tensile 'strength/ Mx'.. WreyKt t? s ' j machine will no,-doubt be a _' for the £12,000 bonus Offered by^the Neysr ■"'"', Zealand Government for an improved method of dressing the -flax, as- it '- : is claimed that this..' machine not .only dresses the fibre better; but reduces the :■ a waste to an appreciable, extent. It : seems only a matter of time when the ■.-.. monppply t<*at New Zealand has/hither* to enjeyed Tri the manufacture- of ; fibro:-.<■ - from the Phormium -plant will be chal- ■.<■. .leiiged; as the plant can be propagated '■ ifrom ; seeds or Iroots, the latter: method - -.' being preferred, as the plants ma.turA-.in. • a much 1 shorter time/ -■•--h-v.,.; -: ;;