260 



The distinction of Flax from Manilla. 



detached ultimate fibres is greatly increased ; these are, however, 

 rarely broken, most of them having the end perfect. Spiral fibres 

 are here absent. 



In Maori-p'epared Phormium the bundles are almost entirely 

 free from tissue, and quite so from spiral fibres. They are always 

 broken up into many fasciculi, which average, perhaps, some twelve 

 or fifteen ultimate fibres in each fasciculus. Many ultimate fibres 

 are semi-detached, and they are much more broken than in machine- 

 prepared fibre. 



If an examination of the fibrous bundles fails to give a satis- 

 factory result, resource must be had to the size of the ultimate 

 fibres which compose the bundles, and this will always give a certain 

 proof of the nature of the fibre under examination, provided enough 

 measurements are made to strike an average, and this can always be 

 done, as one fibrous bundle a couple of inches long vail yield an 

 ample number of ultimate fibres. 



In order- to accomphsh this, the fibre must be first boiled for 

 two or three hours in a weak solution of potash, by which means 

 it will be decomposed. It will then be found possible to isolate 

 individual ultimate fibres from the rest of the bundle by careful 

 dissection with needles under a microscope, the decomposed bundle 

 being placed on a glass slide, in a drop of water. When thus 

 prepared, it will be found that the ultimate fibres of Sizal will 

 separate easily, those of Phormium with more difficulty ; while it 

 will require great care to prevent breaking those of Manilla when 

 endeavouring to detach them. In fact, Manilla requires four or 

 five hours' boiling in a tolerably strong solution of potash, before 

 the ultimate fibres can be detached readily. 



The following Table gives the average dimensions of the 

 difi'erent ultimate fibres, made from a considerable number of 

 measurements of each kind : — 



It will be thus seen that the average length of the ultimate 

 fibre of Phormium is nearly twice that of either of the others, 

 while the average diameter is not much more than half that of 

 Manilla, which again is much less than Sizal. The cell wall also 

 of Phormium is also much thinner than that of either of the 

 other two. 



