A WOAD FARM.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 144146, 16 July 1913, Page 8

A WOAD FARM.

There are many people perhaps, who do not know that there is still in England a place where woad is produced just as it has been done since the time of the Druids. Not, perhaps, in quite die same way; but the main features are the same, and the same plant is grown for the purpose as was the case in the clays of our early ancestors. But the days* of woad havo nearcd their ond, and the latt woad farm is likely to change hands, so that after that time no more of the ancient dye will be obtained, unless that is done as a curiosity by anyone who grows a plant or two for the sake of its ancient fame. To see the old farm, writes W.L.P., in The Lady, it is necessary to drive far out into the heart of the fen country, where the pumps havo to be kept working day and night to prevent the low, marshy ground from being flooded, for much of the land lies lower than i the sea, and is only preserved by the dykes built by the Dutch in bygone days. Here stands the ruinous-looking . place where woad is to be seen growing ; but oven here the last plant has been sown, and when that crop is gath- ! ered in, the farm will be put to other ! uses. . . I As 'one approaches the farm it is j seen at once to be in a state of dis- i renair which' seems to threaten its fall j at any time, and can judge how unprofitable the growing of woad is now._ Indeed, were it not that the British Navy has hitherto bought the dye for the purpose of setting the colour for the uniforms, it would long since have passed away as an industry. But oven this one customer is no' longer willing to pay the prices which will enable woad to be grown at a profit, and therefore the handsome plant will be seen no more except as a curiosity. For many years the fields have been filled with the beautiful dark yellow flower-heads, which throw tlieir sweet scent far around them, and the pickers have twice a year gathered the largo dock-like leaves, to have them squeezed in the old pit at the farm, where three huge wheels of antique design aro j drawn round and round by threo horses which look almost as ancient, and indeed, know their work so thoroughly that when brought into the shed they i ."II three take their places at their re-I spectivo wheels without any hesitation. As the juice flows in streams from the succulent leaves, the colour seems to resemble thoso seen in tar when it has been spilt upon the road; but tho singular thing is that the blue colour for which the plant is noted, is not seen amidst the variety of tints, while thoso working the woad—or "wud," as they call it—are deeply stained with green, but never with blue, until later on, when the dried leaves are brought in and reorushed during the winter. The juice is also locally believed to be extremely curative and the workers declare that if it be applied to a cut or sore, it is healing in the highest degree, and often enough the sore is speedily cured. But the dye itself is only obtained after the "wud" balls, consisting of the dried leaves, have been taken from their places on the sTielves where they have been lying during the autumn, and placed once more in the pit. They are then moistened, and the odour from tho decayed vegetable matter is known .so far off that no one who can help it passes along the road—or "drove," as the low-lying, roads across the fens are called—while the second crushing is in process. The picking of the leaves is pleasant enough in fine weather, and affords work to the few residents in those parts, and these are gathered twice a year, after which the plants are allowed to go to seed—for they have to bo sown every year, tho plant being an annual —and the seed is then carefully collected for the following year. But last year little or no seed was put away, for the last harvest of wond ha-s been gathered in, and it is extremely improbable that it will again be grown—• in that part, at least. Indeed, the old buildings are now in such a state of disrepair that they cannot be made to serve their purpose any longer.