31 
labour compared to that in other countries. The greatest flax- 
producing countries in Europe are Russia, Italy, France,and Bel- 
gium, and in each of these countries the cost of labour is very low. 
But in some of the states of America immense quantities of flax 
are grown; in three states alone as much as nearly 7,000,000 
bushels of flax seed were grown in one recent year. I have no 
record of what the rate of wages is in Iowa, Dakota, and Kansas, 
the three states I allude to, but it will be very much higher than on 
the European continent, although probably less than what has 
been ruling here. d : 
Steeping, or water-retting, is done by immersing the flax in a 
stream or pool of water. Sometimes the flax is spread out thinly 
on the ground and exposed to the decomposing influence of dew 
and rain ; this is what is known as dew-retting. But these means 
of separating the fibre are largely superseded now by the so-called 
dry process, resulting in a gain of both strength and quantity. 
The use of chemicals and the application of steam for the purpose 
of freeing the fibre from the woody matter have resulted in a 
great saving of time over the old-fashioned methods. 
Hemp is cultivated nearly all over the world. At our Horti- 
cultural Gardens was grown this last season a patch of splendid 
hemp, and I have no doubt that it, like flax, would succeed in 
many parts of the colony. 
The New Zealand flax (Phormium tenax) isa valuable plant 
to have in any garden. Possibly it may pay to cultivate in some 
parts of Victoria. In New Zealand a considerable trade is done 
in its fibre. The plant will grow almost anywhere, thriving best, 
like most other plants, in fairly rich soil. 
Tur Esparro Grass (Stipa tenacissima) 
is one of the most valuable fibre plants in the world, and is 
imported into England at the rate of 140,000 to 150,000 tons 
annually. It is a native of Spain, Portugal, and North Africa. 
It grows on the poorest of soils where no other vegetation is 
produced. A drawback to the cultivation of this plant is the 
fact that it takes many years to establish, and from twelve to 
fifteen, years before fit for harvesting. It will then produce 6 to 
8 tons to the acre, value £5 to £7 per ton. The late Dr. 
Schomburg was fortunate in raising, some twenty years ago, a 
large number of plants of this grass, but at this moment Iam 
not aware of what has become of them. Our Mr. Bosisto also 
succeeded in importing this plant some few years since, and I 
must make inquiry as to how it is succeeding with him. Mr. 
Noble, paper manufacturer, says the New Zealand tussock ‘grass 
is as good as esparto, and probably our own tussock grass, so 
plentiful in many parts of the colony, may be equally valuable. 
