VEGETABLE FIBERS. 557 



late severe gale at Aucliland it was found that flax rope, when subjected 

 to the same strain as Manila hemp {Musa texUlis), remained unbroken, 

 while the other gave way." 



The collection of New Zealand flax samples in the museum is both 

 large and fine, the finest in the Cnited States, as the Isew Zealand ex- 

 hibit at Philadelphia was made with great care, over 100 different sam- 

 ples of the raw and manufactured flax having been sent, and this entire 

 collection was handed over to the United States Government at the close 

 of the Exhibition, with the exception of some small duplicate samples 

 taken by representatives of one or two industrial institutions. 



This series illustrates well the native methods of preparing the fiber, 

 and samples of native dyed (black) fiber are also shown. The machine- 

 prepared series is very full, and the samples of manufacture include 

 nearly everything that could be made of fiber. In cordage there are 

 three-inch cables and ropes of all sizes, horse halters, small cordage, 

 4 lead-lines, fish-lines (for sea fishing), and twine of the finest finish. The 

 series of mattings illustrate the many ways that the fiber may be used 

 in the household, as door-mats, parlor and bed-room mats (in colors), 

 ,and hearth rugs, while the finer kinds of fiber are made into cloth not 

 unlike linen du(;k, into satchels, table-mats, shoes (a kind of sandal), 

 sacks, «&;c. Floor matting, carriage and railway mats are exhibited in 

 variety, plain and in colors. The nets, of which there are many sam- 

 ples, can hardly be told from linen both in color and finish. It is hardly 

 necessary to state that these are not of native manufacture, as much of 

 the fiber is exported, made up into the various articles enumerated. 

 This is due to the fact that the English rope-makers will not pay for 

 flax fiber a price proportionate to that given for Manila hemp, and it 

 has, therefore, been found more profitable to manufacture at home and 

 export the rope rather than the baled fiber. 



Erom an examination of some of the museum samples, which seem to 

 the touch as soft as the finest flax, I have no doubt many beautiful fab- 

 rics could be made, and finer than that now shown. 



Mui-ray, in a pamphlet regarding the plant, speaks of bed-ticking 

 being made from it, and states that he has seen " fine fabrics of various 

 kinds, affording demonstrative evidence that its fiber is susceiitible of 

 being woven into tissues of the most delicate descrix)tion." 



Besides the si)eciraens here enumerated, there is a fine sample from 

 Qaeensland, and a small scries received from the Smithsonian Institu- 

 tion (18G9), doubtless originally from New Zealand. 



It may be interesting to mention that in the five years from 1867 to 

 1871, inclusive, as gleaned from the oflicial hand-book of New Zealand, 

 flax fiber was exported to the value of £280,827, or nearly 81,500,000. 

 The average for the five years is £56,105, the higest exportation being 

 in 1870, Vt'hen the sum of £132,578 was realized from the industry by 

 export alone. In the province of Westland the fla^s grows luxuriantly 

 on the banks of rivers, and in swamps, and if properly cultivated, and 

 by stripping only the outer leaves of the plant twice a year, it is claimed 

 that each acre of land would yield more than two tons of marketable 

 flax. In many j)ortions of l!^ew Zealand the plant grows Avild, and the 

 right to cut leaves from the waste lands may be procured from the gov- 

 ernment at a very low cost. 



According to latest official accounts, the quantity of flax pro- 

 duced has steadily diminished, in Auckland, as well as other locali- 

 ties; this is due to the present low prices of the fiber, mill owners finding 

 that £18 to £20 per ton will not remunerate them. In this country Sisal 

 liemp has driven New Zealand flax from the market. The chief cost in 



