1T6 



suitable for binder-twine is at present imported from Manilla, 

 Mexico, East Africa and New Zealand. The demand for it is rapidly 

 increasing and is supplied with difficulty. 



It may be said to be the key commodity, as without it the world's 

 harvests cannot be reaped. It is estimated that 20,000 tons per 

 annum are consumed in the United Kingdom alone. 



It is difficult as yet to estimate the yield of fibre per acre in this 

 country, but I am confident that, if fairly treated, it will be over * 



1 ton per acre per year and I hope for 2 tons. The yield in New 

 Zealand varies greatly. Once established the plant yields crops for 

 many years, nobody knows how many. 



In 1914 I had about 60 lbs. of fibre made from my leaves and had 

 it valued by Mr. F. Agar, director of Hindley & Co., Fibre Brokers, 

 and by the Belfast Rope Works Company, who both handle large 

 quantities of New Zealand fibre. They practically agreed in valuing 

 it at just below r the New Zealand Government grade c< Good-fair." 

 This is a good grade, worth then about £27 per ton, and just before 

 the war, in July, 1914, £32 per ton. I may add that I can find 



no record of healthy well-grown leaves failing to produce good 



marketable fibre. I am much indebted to Mr. Agar for information 

 and help in my undertaking. 



Owing to the weight of the leaves they should be milled within a 

 few miles of where they are grown. The cost of a mill I expect to 

 be between in 000 and £2000, and a few acres of drying ground 

 would be needed for each mill. To promote the growth of the 

 crop on a considerable scale it would be necessary to raise a 

 stock of plants for sale at reasonable rates. This would take time 

 and care and might very properly, I think, be undertaken by, or 

 assisted by Government. 



Experimental plantings should be made on boggy and poor 

 moorland soil. The growth of those plants I have in such situations 



is encouragm 



I have not been able to devote as much labour to its cultivation as 

 I should have liked, and I feel confident that improved treatment 

 would very much increase the rate of growth, especially of young 

 plants. 



Given a supply of strong young plants, I am convinced that the 

 plant can be profitably grown by the farmers on the S.W. coast of 

 Ireland. 



It is impossible for the weather to be too wet for it and it has two 

 great advantages over other crops ; in the first place it can be 

 harvested at any time of the year, and secondly, the work can be 

 done in any sort of weather. Provided the crop is properly fenced 

 and strong healthy stock is planted and kept free from heavy grass 

 just round each plant for the first year, the growth of an acre or two 

 would I think present no difficulties to the small farmer. 



Ventry. 



Explanation of Plates I, II and III. 



Fig. 1. — Plants of the " Powerscourt " variety of Phormium ieriax 



bearing seed. The photograph was taken at Burnham, 

 Dingle, in October, 1917. The plants are now (March, 



1919) about 8 ft. high. 





