Notes. 295 



The initial expenses are the price of the land, the establishing of the 

 crop, and a small charge for attention during the first three years. 



In St. Helena the price paid to the farmer by the mills for flax 

 is calculated at 5 per cent, on the London market price of fibre. If 

 fibre is selling at £30 per ton, the grower would receive 30s. per ton 

 for his flax, delivered at the mill, and the arrangement appears to 

 be a satisfactory one. The pre-war price of fibre varies between £20 

 and £40, but was usually between £24 and £32 per ton. The latest 

 average market prices have been in 1917, £81. 9s. per ton; in 1918, 

 £91. 17s. ; in 1919, £48. 15s. ; in 1920, £47. 



It would be useless for any one to attempt to grow PhorTtiium 

 unless milling facilities were obtainable. The mill requires to be 

 as near the plantation as possible in order to reduce the cost of 

 transport to a minimum ; it must have a good water supply for the 

 washing process. A suitable piece of ground is required adjacent to 

 the mill on which the fibre can be bleached and a cheap supply of 

 fuel is desirable. The chief machinery required is a 30-40 horse- 

 power engine, a stripper, a scutching and hackling machine, and 

 a hydraulic press. The cost of the building and plant may be 

 gauged from the provision made by the Imperial Government in St. 

 Helena of £3500 for the establishment of their mill. 



The leaves of the flax are first weighed and sorted into sizes, 

 and are then fed to a machine called the stripper at the rate of 100 to 

 120 per minute. The drums of the stripper are driven at from 1000 to 

 2000 revolutions per minute. After passing through this machine, 

 the partially cleaned fibre is hand-washed in hanks of about 20 leaves, 

 and the bundles are suspended in water for about 2 hours. The fibre 

 is then carted to the fields, where it is spread out for bleaching for a 

 time, which varies according to the weather. In wet periods it is 

 hung on lines to prevent it from becoming discoloured. After bleach- 

 ing it is brought back to the mill, where it is scutched and hackled 

 and then put up into bales for export. 



The quality of the fibre depends upon the green leaf being in a 

 proper condition and upon the care with which the various operations 

 are performed. 



The milling costs include the ordinary running expenses of the 

 engine and mill, and if two strippers are employed from 25 to 30 

 hands are required. 



With two strippers 8 to 10 tons of flax can be handled per day, 

 and will produce about 1 ton of fibre and ^ ton of tow. 



To keep such a plant fully employed, about 600 acres would need 

 to be under the crop, a third of which would be cut each year. 



Most fibre ventures in the Union have failed on account of the 

 heavy transport charges which have been involved, and in this respect 

 New Zealand flax has a distinct advantage over either sisal or 

 Mauritius hemp. 



The amount of green leaf required to produce a ton of fibre is 

 stated by different authorities at from 5^ to 8 tons, whereas with 

 Mauritius hemp from 40 to 50 tons have to be transported and milled 

 in order to give the same weight. Sisal yields 3 per cent, of fibre, 

 Mauritius hemp 2| per cent., whilst New Zealand flax gives at least 

 14 per cent. 



