200 PHORMIUM TENAX, KAPOK 



in water for a few days, and then the fibre is separated from 

 the gummy matter which is mixed with it. 



Just as the peasants of India used to clothe themselves 

 in material woven from their native jute, so the Maoris of 

 New Zealand used to make their garments from this native 

 flax. The fibre is very strong. Besides clothing, they made 

 ropes, twine, and baskets, and many other things from it. 

 The fact that they used it for making baskets has given it its 

 name Phormium, which is taken from a Greek word meaning 

 Basket. 



The Maoris extracted the fibre by hand, but this is now 

 done by machinery. It is a difficult operation, and efforts are 

 constantly being made to improve the machinery. The chief 

 mills are at Wellington, though there are others at Otago 

 and Auckland. 



The cultivation of Phormium tenax has been introduced into 

 St. Helena, where it is hoped that it will flourish and help to 

 bring prosperity to the island. 



KAPOK is a fibre obtained from the Eriodendron anfractu- 

 osum or white cotton tree. 



It is a tall tree, rather like our elm in shape, but with 

 a straight smooth trunk. It bears white flowers, and its 

 seeds are covered with a fine floss and are contained in a pod, 

 which when ripe bursts open in the same way as cotton bolls 

 do. The floss is blown to the ground, and has to be separated 

 from its seeds, and from the leaves, and twigs, and dirt, with 

 which it gets mixed up. 



Its fibres are too short and brittle for weaving, but for 

 upholstery work of all kinds they are invaluable, for not only 

 are they elastic and waterproof, but they are also bad con- 

 ductors of heat, and exceedingly light, so that bedding made 

 of Kapok is very comfortable and hygienic. 



In consequence of its extreme lightness (it is six times 

 lighter than cotton), and its impermeability, it does not 

 sink in water, and for this reason increasing quantities are 

 being imported for making life-jackets and similar garments. 



