TRANSACTIONS OF tHE SECTIONS. 143 



of collecting tlie mid flax plant, of preparing the fibre, and of transporting it 

 to seaports too great to enable the colonist to offer dressed liax in the European 

 market at a price nearly equal to that of Russian tlax and other similar fibres, 

 with which it must compete. 



The cost of proper cultivation of the plant and proper preparation of the fibre 

 imder present circimistances would be still greater. 



IV. Suitable processes, chemical and mechanical, hare yet to be devised for 

 dressing, bleaching, and dyeing the fibre. 



It has been obviously a common error of experimentalists to conclude that the 

 processes and machineiy, which have proved successful in preparing other fibres, 

 should be equally suitable and successful here. 



V. Not only has New-Zealand ilax to compete with many fibres of established 

 reputation, which are easily and cheaply produced in countries where laboiu' is 

 abimdant ; not only, as regards paper-making, must it enter the market against 

 rags and other waste products of ciAdlization, which are necessarily greatly cheaper 

 than a di-essed fibre : but it will have to compete with himclreds of fibres of equal, 

 or nearly equal, value, which abotmd in all our warmer colonies, and occui- gene- 

 rally throughout temperate and warm parts of the world, whose applications will be 

 developed in proportion as colonization progresses, and as chemistry and mechanics 

 are brought to bear on processes suitable for their preparation*. 



W. Labour is likely to become cheaper and more abundant in other colonies 

 than New Zealand, which are quite as rich in fibre-producing plants, whUe the difii- 

 culties attending the separation and dressing of the fibre will probably be more 

 speedily overcome in the case of these other plants and fibres. 



\TI. Thereis therefore no good ground for the toosanguine anticipations of colonists 

 and colonial governments as to the future high value of New-Zealand flax as an 

 article of colonial exjiort. Present data merely afford encouraging grounds for ex- 

 periment. 



yni. One of the most hopeful directions of experiment is the Acclimatizatioti of 

 the New-Zealand flax plant in countries suited for its gTowth, where labour is 

 cheaper and the advantages of chemical and mechanical skill are more readily 

 obtained. 



Employer and Employed — Capital and Lc(bour, By Pateick Maithew; 



On tJie Confectionery and Marmcdade Trade of Dundee, 

 By Charles C. Maxwell. 

 It is between sixty and seventy years since Dxmdee marmalade was first manu- 

 factured as an article of commerce by the late Mr. James Keiller, and then merely 

 to supply the local and district demand. Gradually, however, the area of its sale 

 extended, not only throughout Scotland, but into England and Ireland, imtU now, 

 when it may be said that the whole British Isles, a considerable portion of the Con- 

 tinent, and even our most distant colonies, are supplied with it. To give an idea 

 of the extent of this trade, the author stated that the quantity of marmalade made 

 in Dundee at the present time amounts to above 1000 tons annually, for the pro- 

 duction of which more than 3000 chests, equivalent to 6000 boxes, of the finest 

 bitter oranges are used. These are imported from Seville, as it has been foimd 

 that the oranges grown in and around that city possess a peculiar and agreeable 

 aroma, which renders them better adapted for the pm-pose than those of any other 

 distiict either in Spain or Italy. "When the marmalade is prepared, a sufficient 

 quantity of sugar is added, to preserve it thoroughly, without in any degi'ee im- 

 pairing the flavour. The author stated that about fom- bundred persons are directly 

 employed at the Dundee confectionery works, and occupation is furnished to many 

 others in connexion will; them. For example, one of the Newcastle potteries is 

 to a large extent engaged in turning out the well-known printed jars for marma- 



* Investigations made in 1858 led the author to the conclusion that fibre-producing 

 plants abound throughout all parts of the world that support a phanogamic vegetation at 

 all rich or varied : Vide " Substitutes for Paper Material," Scottish Eeview, October 1858 

 and January 1859. 



