FLAX PREPARATION.

Timaru Herald, Volume V, Issue 110, 16 June 1866, Page 3

FLAX PREPARATION.

THE PROBLEM SOLVED.

Mr. F. McMillan returned to town yesterday from Tuakau, and has brought with him samples of New Zealand (lax, which will be submitted to his Honor the Superintendent this morning.

The machinery was erected on the 23rd May, and COOlt) were boiled on the 25th. Owing to the wetness of the brickwork, and other parts of the setting, the flax was boiled for three hours, and then passed through the rollers. The work was satisfactorily performed Mr McMillan tried the machine, and with one man feeding two leaves at a time, he passed 2(5 leaves through m 14 minutes, which gave lib. 14oz. of flax. Mr McMillan believes, with steady power, lie can produce 801 b. of flax per day with the single machine. From our own observation, we shonld say the samples are the best yet offered to the public. About six families m Tuakau are engaged preparing flax, and they take themachinealternately — three to-day, and three to-morrow ; the other inhabitants are engaged m labour for the rest of the settlers. The secoud bmlerfull of flax was prepared on Saturday, and the ilax-dressing was begun on Tuesday. We have no doubt that the experiment will be successful, as we have seen a specimen of the immigrants' work. We trust the settlers will provide a ready market for the prepared flax.

There is one thing we ought to notice, namely, that Mr McMillan has tested the cabbage-tree leaf, and discovered that it yields a fibre 3ft. long, and equal, if not superior, to the phormium tcnax. A sample of this fibre, with that of the flax, will be exhibited at our office. The cabbage-tree fibre only required one hour's boiling m cow-dung, and a rinse m cold water after passing through the machine.

There is no doubt whatever regarding the success of the flax preparation. The success entirely depends upon the use of tho proper machinery, and atteuding to the instructions, m the way of preparation, supplied by Mr McMillan, We will Biipi>ly a more detailed account m a future issue.