PROFIT IN FLAX.

Wairarapa Age, 22 April 1927, Page 4

PROFIT IN FLAX.

At the meeting of 'the Masterton branch of the Farmers’ Union on Wednesday, mention was made of a report that New Zealand flax was being used in England for the manufacture of artificial silk. Although the Agricultural Department has no information on the subject, there is apparently credible evidence that in Japan, New Zealand Phormium has been used for years past as a material for artificial silk. The ultimate fibres of New Zealand flax are finer than those of any other- commercial fibre plant—such as jute, ramie, sisal ond others —and the economical separation of the -flax fibres is all that is needed to make flax available as a material of undoubted value for artificial silk and other textiles. Thcro is probably no more profitable opening for research in this country than in exploring possibilities in regard to the economical production and use of Phormium tenax. ‘At present, flax grown in this country is manufactured only into binder twine, rope and similar materials, but there is no obvious reason why it should not be used in the manufacture of sacks and wool-packs, as well as finer textiles. Experiments as far as they have gone indicate that the Phormium fibre possesses exceptional qualities of strength and durability. With an adequate market assured—and the application of flax to new uses of course has a very important bearing on the marketing question —the cultivation of Phormium would offer an excellent means of rapidly extending small settlement. The growtu and milling of flax would lend itself quite as well as dairying to co-opera-tive enterprise by small farmers.