CuuncH.—On the Chemistry of Phormium tenax. 269 
It will be seen that in all the series no appreciable advantage was gained 
by drying the fibre previous to treating it with oil. When paraffin machinery 
oil was used, the result was distinctly disadvantageous when dried fibres were 
employed. It should be added that the fibres which had been oiled after 
drying re-absorbed a large proportion of their original percentage of moisture 
on subsequent exposure to the air. 
Colouration of Phormium Fibre. 
2 Mr. Skey records some experiments of his own upon the presence in 
Phormium fibres of a substance “susceptible of some striking colourific 
changes.” (See Appendix to Commissioners’ 1871 Report, p. 92).* The 
observation is not new, full details concerning this staining of the fibre by the 
successive application of chlorine and ammonia having been published by 
M. Vincent in the Comptes Rendus of the Paris Academy a quarter of a century 
ago. (Comptes Rendus, xxvi, p. 598, 1848.) M. Vincent, indeed, recom- 
mended the following plan for detecting Phormium fibre :—Soak the fibre in 
chlorine water for two or three hours ; then wash it with ammonia water ; a 
violet or pink colour will be developed. But when M. Payen, in 1849 
(Comptes Rendus, xxix., p. 491), submitted this plan for distinguishing 
Phormium from other fibres to further scrutiny, he was unable to regard it as 
satisfactory if applied to thoroughly bleached and cleaned fibres, though it 
might serve to distinguish Phormium fibre from crude, unbleached, roping 
fibres of different origin. M. Payen regarded the principle which gave rise to 
the colour as not essential to the Phormiwm fibre, but merely adherent to it. 
The experiments of Mr. W. Skey scarcely sanction such a conclusion, but 
rather point to the intimate union subsisting between this principle and the 
: eellular substance of the fibre. I cannot doubt, from my own experiments on 
this point, that the “ encrusting " matter of the fibre is the true origin of the 
substance which gives the coloured re-action in question. The following 
experiments seem conclusive on this point, unless, indeed, they go further, and 
prove that the pure cellulose of the fibre is itself capable of such a transfor- 
mation—a position which it would be difficult to accept. 
lst. Experiment on the p Colouration of Phormium Fibre after 
urification. 
One gram of fine native white Phormium fibre (No. 1 of old reportt 
was treated with twelve grams of nitric acid of specific gravity 1:10, апа 0:8 
gram potassium chlorate, for eighteen days, at a temperature of from 12? 
centigrade to 18° centigrade. At the conclusion of the experiment, and after 
suitable purification of the residual cellulose, a proportion of that substance 
amounting to 83:8 per cent. of the original fibre taken remained. This 
* App. to Journ. H. of R., 1871, G. No.4. + loc. cit, б. No. 4a, p. 12. 
