PHOSPHATES 553 



of chromate of copper acidulated with sulphuric acid. Cotton being previously mor- 

 danted with tannin or stannate of soda may be dyed with phenicine of a deep purple 

 colour, on being immersed in hot chromate of potash. The coloiir is, however, changed 

 by alkalis, and destroyed by soap. See CARBOLIC ACID. 



PHESTOXi. See CARBOLIC ACID. 



PHElTOXi BZiVE. Under certain circumstances, phenol gives rise to the forma- 

 tion of a blue colouring-matter, which is used to a certain extent in dyeing. This 

 substance is known in commerce by the name of azulinc. See CARBOLIC ACID. 



PHORIVTIUM TEW AX. New Zealand flax. From a Eeport of the Flax Com- 

 mission appointed to examine into the preparation and value of the New Zealand 

 flax, we learn that one general method of manufacture is adopted in the colony. This 

 method has been thus described : 



'The green leaves are stripped by revolving-rollers with projecting beaters, travelling 

 at a high rate of speed, which crush the epidermis against a fixed plate, so set as to 

 allow room for the fibre to remain intact. The fibre, thus freed from the leaf of the 

 plant, is washed by various methods, put on the ground or on lines to dry and bleach, 

 finished by an arm or barrel-scutch, and when baled is ready for the market. No 

 material alterations in the manufacturing processes have been made ; but a more 

 skilled labour and enlarged experience have improved the general quality of the fibre, 

 so that it is more eagerly competed for in the London market as approaching nearer 

 the appearance of Manilla hemp, and is, in fact, capable, in the opinion of competent 

 judges, of being so prepared as to surpass it. The chief improvement recently intro- 

 duced is the wet-s.cutch.ing, by which the fibre is cleaned and softened, although it 1ms 

 not always been commercially successful ; for, whilst local purchasers were ready to 

 give Si. per ton extra for the flax, the loss of fibre, by formation of an excessive 

 amount of tow, and the additional expense of labour, increased the cost from 61. to 

 101., so that the new process was abandoned. But, notwithstanding this, the Com 

 missioners strongly recommend it for further trial. The mills are chiefly worked by 

 steam-power ; and good streams of' water are also essential for the effectual washing 

 of the fibre, which, when carefully prepared and neatly baled, fetches as much as 

 from 17^. to 2 ll. per ton, although the ordinary price is about 15^. The cutting of 

 the flax-leaves is an important point. In some fields an established vigorous plant, 

 in suitable soil, will yield four good leaves for manufacture every year. The leaves 

 are usually of twelve months' growth, and vary from 3 to 5 feet long. In some parts 

 they are greatly injured by a small 'looper' caterpillar, about an inch in length, 

 which eats quite through the fibre, in patches from an inch to 2 inches long, and ^ 

 of an inch broad. This insect comes to its full size, and is most numerous, in the 

 month of December. Of the leaves, when cut, 5J tons yield one ton of fibre. They 

 are mostly found after two years' growth to have passed their prime and begun to 

 decay. The green strippings of the leaf form food for horses.' 



The phormium fibre is largely used for rope-making. It is said that the New 

 Zealand white rope when kept dry, lasts longer and wears 60 per cent, better than 

 tarred rope of this material, and 34 per cent, better than Manilla-hemp fibre, but 

 the effect of wetting with salt water acts injuriously upon the New Zealand rope, 

 whilst the Manilla rope is said to be actually improved by the salting. The breaking- 

 strain of Manilla-hemp rope being taken as 100, that of several varieties of New 

 Zealand rope as at present exported varies from 53 to 84, with an average of 91. 

 But samples of native-dressed New Zealand fibre ranged from 70 to 122, with an 

 average of 91. During the year 1870 there were 161 mills in operation in the colony, 

 with an aggregate of 342 stripping machines, employing 1,450 horse-power and 1,766 

 persons, and producing 4,457 tons of fibre. From April 1870 to May 1871, 36,008 

 bales of fibre were brought to London, in addition to which 87 were destroyed at sea ; 

 1,546 bales of tow were also produced. The total value of the fibre, reckoning 6 

 bales to 1 ton, amounted to 140,5062., the average price being 23. 8s. per bale. See 

 FIBRES; FLAX. 



PHOSGEXTXTE. Native chloro-carbonate of lead. See LEAD. 



PHOSPHATES. Combinations of phosphoric acid with metallic, earthy, or alka- 

 line bases. A few only of these require notice in this work; all will be found 

 described in "VVatts's ' Dictionary of Chemistry.' 



Phosphate of Lime, or Add Phosphate of Lime, is formed when bone-earth is treated 

 with sulphuric acid. If bone-earth is digested with this acid for some time, and then 

 water added, the clear solution filtered from the insoluble sulphate of lime will on 

 evaporation yield crystals of phosphate of lime. Ground bones are frequently em- 

 ployed as a manure ; their action depends in part upon the decomposed gelatine, but 

 chiefly on the phosphate of lime, which they contain in the condition of a tribasic- 

 phosphate. When, as for turnip-crops, a large supply of phosphoric acid is required, it 

 is found advantageous to treat the bones with sulphuric acid, by which the triphosphate 



