April 1907.] 



217 



THE YIELD. 



The officials of the Department of Agriculture, New Zealand, state that from 

 uncultivated land, from 12 to 18 tons of green leaves per acre are gathered, but from 

 a properly planted and cultivated plantation, according to experiments made, 

 upwards of 50 tons could be gathered, and that the yield of fibre from carefully 

 selected plants would be greater. According to the experience of various mills in 

 New Zealand, it takes from 5|- to 6 tons of green leaves to make one of fibre. 



There are various methods adopted in New Zealand of gathering leaves. It 

 is usually from private land that they are obtained, and the owners claim a royalty ; 

 in some cases 12s. per ton is paid for the leaves as they are carted to the mill. The 

 cost of cutting and binding is from 10s. to 12s. per ton- In some parts, where the 

 mills are worked in the close vicinity of navigable streams, the green leaf is delivered 

 at a cost of from 20s. to 25s. per ton. 



If the yield of leaves is 12 tons per acre, this will give two 

 tons of dressed fibre at £20 per ton ... ... ... £40 



Cost of leaves delivered at mill— 12 tons at 22s. 6d. per ton... 13 10 



£26 10 



EXTRACTING FIBRE. 



There are two methods of treating this product to extract the fibre — one by 

 machinery, and the other by chemicals and machinery. The latter method has not 

 been used to any extent, but is spoken well of by various writers. That the 

 fibre can be extracted has been proved by me on various occasions. A firm in the city 

 which has taken up the treatment of the Linum flax has produced good samples of fibre 

 from the Phormium tenax. But the principal method of extracting the fibre is by 

 machinery, and quite a number of various designs are in use in New Zealand. Most 

 of these do good work. Recently the New Zealand Government gave a bonus for the 

 eneouragment of a new machine, and considerable competition took place. 



The Commission appointed to examine into the merits of the various competi- 

 tors have set forth the particulars of each in their report to the Hon. Minister of 

 Agriculture, which is published in pamphlet form and distributed. This is 

 interesting reading to those who contemplate in any way with Phormium. As to the 

 cost of machinery, much depends on the amount to be treated. Some mills are put up 

 to produce several tons of fibre in the week, whilst others aim at smaller productions. 



The power employed is an important item in giving the cost of a "treating 

 plant." One capable of producing, say, one ton or so of fibre per week may be set 

 down at from £150 to £200 ; this is complete, without the power. There are, accord- 

 ing to an official publication, about 400 mills at work in New Zealand. Some are 

 worked by water power, others by steam, but little can be said of the machinery 

 from the information at present available. From the experience gained in dealing 

 with the production of the Linum flax, one of the most important features is to show 

 that there is machinery available for its treatment when produced. 



VARIETIES. 



The following descriptions are taken from Sir James Hector's work :— 

 " Harakeke (Common Swamp Flax).— Leaves coarse, loose, drooping, points 

 generally blunt ; flower stalk large, 11 feet to 14 feet high, and 1 inch to 2 inches 

 in diameter ; pod short, erect. Grows almost everywhere, but attains its largest 

 size (14 feet to 15 feet) on rich alluvial soil, by banks of streams. Many sub-varieties 

 are found, some with dark blue-green leaves above and glaucous below, and some 

 pale olive-green, or bronzy. Some varieties have also the butts of the leaves coloured 

 with red for some distance up, while others are yellowish-green almost to the 

 very base. When the plant is stunted, the flower-stalk is also small, and the best 

 characteristic is the blunt point to the leaf. 



