THE LEAF-FIBRE OF NEW ZEALAND FLAX. 43 
late Mr. Oldham, though the perigone-lobes in the only ripe fruit 
seem somewhat deeper cut and more involute; but in all I possess, 
while the bracts are very long, the relative length of the bracteoles is 
subject to considerable variation, even on the same specimens. In 
none that I have examined, however, can I find a quinquefid perigone, 
the lower free portion in all cases equalling, or nearly so the lobes. 
And if the differences in this respect relied on by Miquel are incon- 
stant, and there seems little or nothing else in the diagnosis of Alph. 
De Candolle to distinguish the two species, though he makes the 
depth of division of perigone-lobes a sub- "e character, it may 
be open to question whether they should not be united. If the plant 
taken by Miquel for T. decurrens, be really identical with that of A. 
De Candolle, I cannot doubt that such must be done. 
ON THE ECONOMICAL VALUE AND APPLICATIONS OF 
THE LEAF-FIBRE OF NEW ZEALAND FLAX (PHOm- 
MIUM TENAX, Forst.). 
By W. Lauper Linpsay, M.D., F.R.S.E., F.L.S., ETC. 
(Concluded from p. 31.) 
Some yéars ago, at a time when there was considerable agitation in 
Britain, on the subject of scarcity and dearness of paper in the 
European market, and when the ‘Times’ had offered a premium of 
£1000 to any enterprising experimentalist, who should introduce a 
new marketable material,—a successful competitor (especially as re- 
gards price) to rags, I was led to study the subject of ‘ substitutes for 
paper material. My inquiries brought me into correspondence with 
Charles Cowan, M.P., of Valleyfield Paper Mills, and Robert Craig, 
of Newbattle Paper Mills, both near Edinburgh; R. M. Cameron, 
editor of the * Paper Trade Review ;! Thomas Routledge, of the Ford 
Paper Works, near Sunderland,—the introducer of *esparto;"* P. 
L. Simmonds, author of works on * Waste Products, and the * Com- 
mercial Products of the Vegetable Kingdom;' the late Professor 
e (March, 1866), that his sales of * ‘esparto, 
Mr. Routledge wri 
during the Sara. ag ES 3 re^ been over 30,000 tons. No other material is 
used in the Ford Wor ipii now also largely used by almost every paper 
