58 



The Cliaii-man said it looked better and whiter than any other 

 variety of flax, but he had heard that in reality it was very bi-ittle. 



It was suggested that a request be made to the Government to direct 

 the Curator of the Botanical Gardens to grow flax plants for experimental 

 purposes. It would be no expense, and though it would take time, it 

 would be a step in the right direction. 



Mr. Cargill approved of this suggestion, and stated that a large 

 number of flax roots had lately been taken to Canterbury from the 

 North for purposes of cultivation. 



Council Meeting. March 8, 1870, 

 The Eev. D. M. Stuart in the chair. 



After the transaction of business remitted to the Council from the last 

 meeting of the Institute, a discussion took place on the importance of flax 

 culture, in the course of which Mr. H. Gillies exjiressed his belief that 

 the prevailing impression as to the superiority of the Auckland flax over 

 that of this province, was due to the greater care used in di'essing and 

 bleaching ; the advantages of climate in connection with these processes 

 were additional causes of the higher market value of flax shij)ped from. 

 Auckland. The superior qualities of flax grew hei^e, he believed, m.ore 

 plentifully than in Auckland ; but the heavy drooping leaf which was 

 run after by most flax-dressers here, was not the best. 



The Honorary Secretary read the following extract from a letter 

 recently received from Dr. Hector, referring to Mr. Webb's paper on 

 the Museum Herbarium ; he said, — " Buchanan's collections for Eastern 

 Otago were all destroyed when his house was burnt, just before I arrived 

 in Otago ; and as his work lay in the western districts during the 

 flowei'ing seasons, the loss was never replaced. This accounts for the 

 poverty of the Museum Herbarium in the east side specimens. 

 However, that can easily be remedied by your local collectors. . . . 

 The classified list attached to Buchanan's paper has been drawn, up with 

 every care, but still is only a first attempt. The method of using 

 columns for the different districts I found so useful with my North 

 American collections, that I introduced it very early in our Otago work. 

 The original MS. list is in nine districts, a copy of which I shall be glad 

 to give to your Society ; but I thought, and so did Buchanan, that the 

 observations were not sufiiciently complete to warrant so many sub- 

 divisions. In time I hope to get the materials for a tabular list of the 

 plants, both native and introduced, for every part of these islands, as the 



