8 



same. In the face, however, of these recommendations, above quoted, a trial of this method of treatment 

 upon the green leaves is to be urged upon the attention of the authorities. I have made laboratory ex- 

 periments with leaves supplied tome by Sir Julius von Haart : on scutching the leaves after treatment 

 a very superior fibre was obtained. On examining this fibre in section under the microscope the bun- 

 dles were found to be satisfactorily divided, and largely freed from their cellular sheath. In colour and 

 softness the product was far superior to the machine-dressed fibre. It remains to consider what are 

 the possible applications of the finer fibre, thus prepared. Mr. Strangman proposes to put the products 

 which he obtains through the ordinary twine-spinning machinery. It will be as well not to anticipat3 

 the results of this trial by any predictions. 



There is another application which I am investigating, with the kind assistance of my friend Mr 

 J. R. Barlow, of Bolton, who has undertaken the experiments, that is, a process of reduction of the 

 treated fibre to something like the staple of raw cotton : a treatment which has been successfully ap- 

 plied to the spinning of yarn from various wastes. The reduction is effected in a special machine from 

 which the resulting " wool " is taken through the carding process and spun into a weft yarn. The 

 results of the trials of this process upon the treated Phormium will be duly reported. Reverting to 

 the treatment of the green leaves, attention should be directed to the employment of the rejections of the 

 leaves and the fibrous waste as a paper-making material. From the air-dry leaves exhibited in the 

 collection, 49.5 per cent, of cellulose was isolated by the ordinary method. Such a yield which would 

 be sensibly the same for all parts of the leaf taken together with the comparative ease of isolation and 

 the satisfactory length of the ultimate fibre, leads to a favourable estimate of its value for paper- 

 making : sufficiently, at least, to afford a " set off" against the cost of producing the fibre. This has 

 doubtless been considered, but finding no mention of the matter as having been put to a practical test 

 I have thought fit to mention it in passing. 



In submitting these considerations, I am sensible of the difficulty of contributing to elucidate a pro- 

 blem which has already and for many years engaged the attention of distinguished men both here and 

 in the Colony. Still in spite of the excellent work which has been done, it does not appear that there 

 is a definite estimate, scientific or commercial, of the capabilities of the Phormium Fibre; and if this 

 communication is effective in the least degree in stimulating further inquiry it will have fulfilled its 

 purpose. It may not be out of place briefly to summarise the results of this recent investigation of 

 the matter. The reports of the Commissioners (1870-1872) point to an inadequate'investigation of the 

 Chemistry of the fibre, the methods adopted being empirical and not uniform with those now o-enerallv 

 adopted ; consequently the question of chemical modification of the fibre for the improvement of its 

 quality, as well as treatment of the raw materal for the same end, has not been fully investigated 



Such an investigation is the more promising of practical result in the case of Phormium on ac- 

 count of the exceptionally high yield of fibre. Experiments have been undertaken under the auspices 

 of the Executive Commission, starting with the machine-dressed fibre, to test the various treatments 

 with alkaline sulphites, which in more recent times have been successfully applied to other raw fibre 

 and fibrous materials ; and further to test the spinning qualities of the resulting modified forms of the 

 Phormium fibre. It would be desirable to put the green leaves through a similar treatment with the 

 view of preparing a finer fibre in the first instance. The rejections of the leaves and fibrous waste 

 yielding a good percentage of long fibre, should constitute a satisfactory paper-making material • and' 

 upon this a definite estimate should betaken. Considering for a moment, in conclusion, the present posi- 

 tion of Phormium as a fibre competing with Manilla for rope-making fibres, laboratory investigation 

 rather establishes the superiority of the former than justifies the preference which has been given to 

 the latter. The following results were obtained with a selected specimen of Manilla : — 



Moisture ... ... ... 10.5 per cent. 



Hydrolysis (6) ... .. ... 13.5 « 



Cellulose ... ... ... 58.0 " 



Ultimate fibres. Length ... ... 3-7 mm. 



There is a very close structural resemblance between these fibres,* as might be expected from their 

 physiological similarity. The chemical composition will vary to a certain extent with the method of pre- 

 paration but the comparison having been made upon specimens very similar in condition may be taken as 

 fair. The matter appears to require further investigation. 



FIJI. 



The exhibits in this section were perhaps rather of technical than commercial interest, though 

 there were indications of possible developments in the latter direction. 



The most noticeable feature were the curtains which adorned the entrances to the Court. These 

 native productions are made from the prepared bast of the Broussonetia or paper mulberry, and 

 adorned with barbaric designs, printed, as the Commissioners informed me, by means of such 

 primitive apparatus as a plantain leaf for stencil plate, the colours, a black and brownish-red beinw 

 suitably thickened. Though not of high quality, individually, they produce a very harmonious blend°- 

 and quite in accord with modern taste. In addition I found samples of Musa fibre well cleaned and of 

 good length, and coir fibre with twine and rope made from the same ; also twines of native manufac- 

 ture worked into fishing-nets, made from the so-called van fibre. Although there is no mention in the 

 ff. Handbook of the Colony" of any commerce in miscellaneous fibres, there can be no doubt that this 

 branch of trade is capable of development in the Colony. 



* Compare Prof. McNab's Report to the Commissioners. 



