NEW ZEALAND FLAX. 57 
are not indigenous or sufficiently abundant in India, though 
the fibres of some have been separated, and sent as specimens. 
As, for instance, of-— 
Yucca, on Apam’s Nerpie Fisre. 
Adam’s Needle, or Yucca gloriosa, &c., like others, seems 
sometimes to be called an Aloe. The species of Yucca are 
natives of the southern provinces of the United States, and 
being there exposed to extremes, are capable of living in the 
open air, both in Europe and India. They are conspicuous 
for their noble show of lily-like white flowers, as well as for 
their long sword-shaped leaves, terminated by a thorny point. 
They, no doubt, all abound in fibre, as some of a fine 
quality and strong in nature, has been sent from Madras, sepa- 
“rated from the leaves of the Yucca angustifolia. Other species 
flourish as far north as in the Botanic Garden at Saharunpore. 
The fibres also take colour, as in the specimens sent from Madras, 
dyed red, orange, purple, and green. Fibre has also been separa- 
ted from other species of Yucca, as Y. aloifolia and Y. filamentosa, 
These are amongst those which have received the name of silk- 
grass. Those sent from India are from two to four feet in 
length, and are rather wiry, or resemble those of the Agave 
more than they do the fibres of Bromelias. 
New Zratanp Frax (Phormium tenazx). 
New Zealand Flax, or Phormium tenax, belonging to this 
family of plants, may here be noticed, though it is not 
so well suited as many others, to the general nature of Indian 
climates, but it will enable us to make some useful com- 
parisons. It was discovered by the celebrated Cook in New 
Zealand—as he says “the country produced a grass plant, like 
flags, of the nature of hemp or flax, but superior in quality to 
either ; of this the natives make clothing, lines, nets, &c.” It 
grows both on the north and the south coast. It was intro- 
duced in the year 1798 into the south of Ireland, and has been 
found to flourish on the west coast of Scotland, though Euro- 
pean winters are occasionally too severe for it. The native 
name of the plant is koradi or korere, while the fibre is called 
