AN IMPORTANT DISCOVERY.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 7114, 12 July 1886, Page 4

AN IMPORTANT DISCOVERY.

We buw in the Chamber of Commerce says tho Dunedin Herald a bundle of fibre — aome dyed. Upon reference to a note which accompanied this fibre, the results of MM I.1 '. James Forsyth's investigation. This fibre is extracted .from one of the numerous family of the " Poa," and popularly known in Now Zealand as " Tussock Grass." Tho assertions by Mr. Forsyth in his note to the Secretary of the Chamber of Commerce that our Terrace land will yield fibre valued at from £20 to £30 per acre was so astounding that we despatched a special reporter to interview Mr. Forsyth on the matter. Mr. Forsyth says that "he takes little credit for this discovery ; all ho claims as Ihe resuUa of his labour is in assisting Nature in her operations jusl, for example, when the hide is taken a horse or bullock, or the' akiß from a eheej,— the natural clothing of the animal, hair, or wool comes off as soon as putrefaction commences. Just bo with tho bark of a tree or the silicious covering wich Natura provides for leaf plants. In the casa of hides or pheopskins, lime in the one case, or a solution of ammonia in the other assists decomposition. Thus, from the animal to the vegetable kingdom the step is easy and simple. Mr Forsylh has manufactured thousands of .tons o£ coir, manilla, jute esperto, fiassian and Mexican grasses ; but "never came in contact with aay one yielding such a mass of valuable fibre, ■ and strange to say, I have through Mr. Barron, the member for Caveraham in past years, nrged upon the government of the day to spare this plant from destruction; no good —lawyers, toadiers, commission agents, farmers, squatters — however honept — are not trained to manufacturing pursuits, and are hardly to blame, as they know no better." Referring to the yield per acre, Mr. Forsyth says this plant is cultivated in France and Germany and in some parts of Britain aa a food supply for stock, and ought not to be held ia comparison with what Nature has by her uaaided efforts produced. Here, when we reflect upon our climate, the strong winds on high terrace lands, it is easy to conceive that through past ages the weakest plants died out, and by self-propagation the most robust and fibrous survived. What this plant raay ultimately be brought to, it is moßt difficult to say. What I produce is what Nature and, I may say, accident have thrown my way. The cost of producing this fibre fit for the manufacturer would be from £8 to £9 per ton. And with the view of relieving the pressure of the unemployed, Mr. Bobert Wilson, to his honor, has offered mo what he estimates as 12,000 tons from hia freehold and leasehold property with water-power gratis ! There would be good openings for local mills at Otautau — the Elbow — Manderville — Waikioe — Waipahi — Tapanui — Clinton — Tokomairiro — Silveratream; indeed, any locality where water-power exists-- such as Wvadhaui, Toi Tois, &c; and the demand would be unlimited in France, Germany, Belgium, and Great Britain, for carpetings, heavy canvas, spun yarn, wool-packe, cornsacks, bindei twine, door mats, stuffing for railway cushions. I show you a sample here, but in New Zealand and Victoria tarpaulins, of which we here will hare in daily use, perhaps £40,000 to £50,000 worth, are yearly requiring replenishing. Donaldson in his " British Agriculture " averages the yield per acre at 85071b5, or over tree and a-half tons for first crop and 40831bs second crop. But tbis species — the (Pralensis) is email compared to the natural tussock. With regard to the value, I show you the expressed opinion of those most competent to judge from their training to tbis business in Scotland and England. Place this fibre before Manilla or New Zealand flax ia point of quality, quoting the average price of tho above. Manilla £35 per ton, native flax £18 delivered. Our farmers raay look forward lo something that will pay them better than grain crops.