THE FLAX INDUSTRY.

Timaru Herald, Volume XL, Issue 3057, 11 July 1884, Page 3

THE FLAX INDUSTRY.

c TO THB EDITOB OP THE TIStAEtT HEEAI.D Sib, — Allow me to correct a elight mis c print m my letter of the 2nd inst. At thi b top of the page,' ten bushels of seed at £2,= r £20, should have been ten buahels of seed al ■ ■ 4a, = £2, which added to the £18 at the othei 9 side, makes £20. I should not have troubled - - you to make the correction only I find it has misled some persons. I may also tell you that m company with o practical flux grower from tho North ol Ireland, I inspected tbe TemukaFlax Mill today. The directors and manager met us by appointment, and showed us the scutching m operation, apd the differoiit samples that were ecntched and finished. One sample, which was grown near Temuka, weighed 2\ tons to the acre, being half a ton of straw over my estimate. Tbe flax scutched from it was valued by my friend at £60 a ton (Belfast prices), which was £16 over my estimate, and this was very satisfactory. He was perfectly satisfied with the working of the mill m all its detail", inoluding the vats for steeping, and expressed his belief that with o&re they could turn out flax worth £80 a ton. Mr BUiott, the person I refer to, only came to this colony twelve months ago, and has bought a f«rm recently near the Point. He showed us samples of flax he grow and brought from Home, aod for which he got £75 a ton, and he tells us he rarely got less than £100 a ton for what he grew at. Home. The experience and opinioe of euoh a practical man is worth a great deal, and it ought to encourage our farmers to turn their attention at once to this industry. Mr Pilbrow and others who have grown it for some years tell me that the quantity of seed I reoommend to he sown to the acre is twice too much, and that two bushels of seed *ill be sufficient. They also advise sowing it early m August. The Company will have imported Big* seed for sale this season, and will be prepared to buy any quantity of the straw from farmers at about £4 a ton, higher or lower according to quality. They will eteep it m their own vats. The manager also informed us that a man can ecutch nearly double the quantity here m the same time that he would acutsh the Irish flax, m consequence of the straw or husk parting so readily. This will of course lesßon the expense of Bcutohing. I am now thoroughly convinced that tbe flax industry can be prosecuted here with every prospect of success. I am, &c, T. Jasper Sstxth. Pleasant Point, Jnly 9tb, 1884.