174 



grows with me I should say that it should not be planted any- 

 closer than 8 ft. between the lines and 6 ft. in the lines. This 

 point can only be settled satisfactorily by actual trial, and no 

 doubt different districts will require different distances. 



It rliorrntum tenax is being grown commercially it would 

 be advisable to plant in sheltered places or to have quick-growing 

 hedges for shelter — as otherwise the ends of the taller leaves get 

 frayed with the winter gales. To pick these leaves out of the 

 bulk would cost labour, and if they were not picked out their 

 darkened ends would deteriorate the quality of the bulk and so 



reduce price." 



It seems likely that as Phormium tenax is amenable to culti- 

 vation in Wigtownshire and Argyllshire it w r ould prove successful 

 in selected spots in the Hebrides, where conditions would appear 

 to be favourable for its growth. 



mad 



ma 



ing report on Lord Yentry's plantations by the Irish Department 

 of Agriculture is of value. This report was sent to Kew by the 

 Board of Agriculture and Fisheries and is included here with 

 their permission : — 



In no part of Ireland where New Zealand flax (Phormium 



tenax) has 



tisfactory 



Moore visit 



im, J J ing 



reported that, although the plants were grown under varying con- 

 ditions as regards soil, aspect, etc., the growth was in all cases 

 excellent, luxuriant and vigorous. The climate of the district, 

 however, appeared to be exceptionally mild, and further, the 

 soil was on the whole capable, when well treated, of growing 

 good farm crops. Good crops of sound, clean potatoes had been 

 lifted from land adjoining/ ' 





New Zealand Flax in Co. Kerry. 

 The Rt. Hon. Lord Yentry's Report. 



It has long been apparent that New Zealand Flax (Phormium 

 tenax) grows very vigorously in the extreme S.W. of Ireland. 



In May, 1914, I divided a number of old plants which had been 

 growing here for many years and planted them in an old neglected 

 grass field, after ploughing and harrowing. I know now that this 

 was too late to plant them out, the middle of March would have 

 been much better. There was no rain to speak of until the end of 

 June, but as soon as it came the plants started into growth. They 

 are now (February, 1910) from 6| to 8 ft. high, and are killing the 

 heavy growth of coarse grass which until now has checked their full 

 development. I expect them, if not cut, to be up to 9 ft. high by 

 November, and to yield then at least 40 tons ot leaves to the acre, 

 though I have not yet had sufficient experience to enable me to 

 make a very confident estimate. 



In the autumn of 1914? I was given seed from New Zealand by a 

 friend which failed to germinate owing, I think, to its being too old, 

 bat some fresh seed of my own grew very well, and I planted about 

 five acres with these seedlings in the spring of 1918. These now 









