5 6 7Vansacfions. — Miscellaneous. 



allied to tliis is cultivated for food by the natives of tlie Upper Wanganiii 

 district. 



Some years ago leaves of this plant were sent to England and manufactured 

 into paper at one of the Yorkshire mills. The article was highly commended in 

 a trade periodical, and the propriety of importing a constant suf)ply of the raw 

 matei^al steadily advocated. I greatly regret that I have mislaid my reference 

 to the trade circular in which the notice appeared. 



Ti ngaherehere, Cordyline hanksii. — A much smaller jilant than the last, 

 producing fibre of a superior quality, but in smaller quantity. It is abundant 

 on the margin of forests, gullies, etc., throughout the North Island and 

 northern parts of the South Island, and, like the preceding species, could be 

 readily cultivated. 



Cutting grasses, Gahnia setifolia and Galmia ehenocarpa, appear well 

 adapted for the manufacture of coarse papers. The former is abundant in 

 both islands, and could be procured in almost unlimited quantity ; the latter 

 is rather local in its distribution, but the tussocks individually afford a larger 

 quantity of leaves, which are often 8ft. in length. 



Other sedges and grasses might also be utilized, especially the curious 

 sand-grass, Spinifex hirsutus, and the sand-fescue grass, Festuca littoralis. The 

 last might possibly form a substitute for Esparto. The curious sedge called 

 the pingao, growing on sh if ling sands, might prove to be valuable; also, the 

 tawera, or New Zealand screw pine, Freycinetia hanksii, which is abundant in 

 moist woods, often climbing to the tops of the loftiest ti-ees, and might be 

 procni'ed by thousands of tons. The nikau also appears to offer material 

 suitable for the manufacture of coarse wrapping papers, etc. 



I have not mentioned Phormium, since its merits are so well recognized 

 that a company has been formed in A^^ckland specially for the utilization of 

 its fibre in paper manufacture. 



The various species of Celmisia, chiefly known by the settlers as cotton-grass 

 or leather-plant, appear well adapted for our purpose. They are compai'atively 

 rare in the North Island, the most common being C. longifolia, which is 

 abundant on the central plains but does not attain a large size ; to the noi'th 

 of Auckland it only occurs in isolated localities. In the South Island the 

 genus is plentiful, numerous fine species with large leathery leaves, more or 

 less hairy or woolly, being abundant. I have specimens of C. verbascifolia in 

 my possession, in which the leaves are nearly 2ft. long. C. coriacea, a much 

 commoner species, is perhaps still more valuable. 



Although strictly outside the limits of this pajoer, it may not be amiss to 

 state that at several English mills wheaten straw has, for many years past, 

 been manufectured into paper of good qiiality, and which has come into general 

 use. At present wheaten straw is of little value in the Colony, so that a 



