74 



JfKW ZEALAND I'LAX. 



As I liopR tlte time & not far di^t^llit wheft iu 

 villiH' will l.)(' move np]n\'ciat('(l, iuid the projii- 

 dicu, at present so iiuirh against it, will have 

 diminished, I may perhaps be exeil^d In giving 

 M aecownt of this valuable plant twm my own 

 observations duriiiLi' a visit to New Zealand. 



This valiiaMr plant is reg-arded by the natives 

 of New Z<?aland as sacred, hnt is probably an 

 object of veneration for its value in manufac- 



fibtrifi 'v^ as here on Monilny, and superintended the making 

 of 41 14^ inch cable, whicJi is to be tried on his Majesty's 

 s}iq> Bi3^3i^^ A trlttl is «ts& to be made of #6 i«6lati^e 

 strena;th of the phormiuni tenax and hemp in this vanL in a 

 few dixySf for which a piece of 14^ inch cable lias been ex- 

 ■pressl)^ isiantdfad^uved.. The pnee ^ hmp per ten is £^ ; 

 that t)f the pliorniiutn tenax C:38. 01" the expcnmcnts tiuir 

 have been made at Woolw ich, by order of the Admiralty, tlie 



r. cwt. lbs. 



A 4J inch rope of the old surt broke at a strain 

 of... 8 8 40 



4 inch phorniium, w ith the solution i> 10 0 



4 inch bolt rope, Italian yarns, present sort. ... 4 l.j 0 

 4 inch dittiO) with ciie same jam> ^ith tile prc^ 



scrvinp: solntion ... + f> S :\G 



4 inch conn»on rope. ....*«.,«,..»..•.. ... 5 7 6(i 



4 iftcifc liewpen rope, iHth coal of mmeml m., S 7 • 56 



4 IXKtti pliiirniium, with the sohitittn .) 1 (J 70 



The strongest pronf is thus given of its strenj^lh. lis 

 power, however, to resist mU wd ite diimhiliiy, arc yet to 



