20 AGRICULTURAL REPORT. 
border in the scialloas where it has remained and made a healthy yearly 
growth without the slightest protection either in summer or winter. 
During severe winters the points of the shoots become browned, but 
they speedily recover when spring growth commences. From this plant 
many thousands of young ones have been produced and distributed, 
principally in the Southern and Southwestern States. It blooms quite 
profusely in the fall months, but too late to mature seeds. The flowers 
are fragrant, and as a greenhouse plant it is quite as meritorious as 
many of those usually found in these structures. 
The want of fresh seeds is no longer felt, as many of the plants first 
sent out produce them in abundance in South Carolina and other States, 
and can be supplied in quantities sufficient to meet all reasonable de- 
mands for plants required solely for purposes of experiment. 
Botanists recognize only one species of Thea, the T. Bohea being re- 
garded simply as a variety ; and it is well known that the commercial 
brands of tea refer either to the place of growth, or modes of manufac- 
ture and preparation for market. There is high probability, however, 
that this plant, so long in cultivation and under conditions of soil and’ 
climate so varied, may have run into many varieties of more or less 
constaney, but there is nothing authentic on the subject. The recent 
importations, by the Department, of tea-seeds from various parts of 
China, Japan, and Assam, may develop facts bearing on these points. 
NEW ZEALAND FLAX. 
An invoice of seeds of the Phormium tenax, or New Zealand flax, has 
recently been received, and they are apparently in geod condition. On 
several previous occasions seeds of this plant have been placed in my 
hands, but either from being imperfectly ripened when gathered, or 
from loss of vitality during their transmission to this country, they 
failed to germinate. Those lately received appear to be in better con- 
dition than any heretofore imported, and hopes are entertained that 
they will germinate, and assist in the increase of the present limited 
stock of this promising and useful plant. 
It has long been kuown that this plant possesses a very strong fiber. 
It is mentioned in the narratives of the earlier nav iga :ters to New Zea- 
land that they found the fiber in common use among the natives, from 
which they made various articles of clothing, ropes, nets, &c., even 
Strips of the green leaves, without preparation of any kind, being used 
as cords and strings for domestic purposes. The strength and tenacity 
of the fiber are such as to render it worthy of notice, being suppesed to 
compare favorably with the best vegetable productions of like character. 
Experiments made by De Candolle to test its strength as contrasted 
with silk, and with some other well-known vegetable fibers, resulted 
as follows: Silk supported a weight of 34; New Zealand flax, 234; coin- 
mon hemp, 16}; common flax, 113; pita fiber, 7 i. 
While it is well known that the leaves of this plant contain a valuable 
fiber, it has not hitherto been prvtitably prepared for the manufacturer. 
As is the case in regard to the China grass plant, there appears to be 
considerable difficulty in divesting it of extraneous substances. In this 
plant the fiber is incorporated with a quantity of gummy matter, which 
presents a practical difiiculty in its preparation for the spinner. and 
paper manufacturer. That excellent cordage .can be made from it, as 
also very fine paper, has been frequently shown, and it is probable that 
if the attention of practical investigating chemists ¢ould be directed to 
the importance and value of researches on the leaves of this plant, modes 
of preparation would be discovered that would obviate all objeetions, 
