NISW ZEALAND ILAX*. 



TIr' flax is used by tlie natives of New Zea- 

 l;iin! for a variety of |mr|ios('s : (mm ir t]\vy 

 luamifat'ture very strong H^hiiig-iiucs, ami also 

 It variety of handsome and durable mats, vrhich 

 itm used B<ytli hy mstles femaiei t)<t eliitMttg: 

 The method achjpted by the natives of New 

 Zeahind, for the ^icparation of tlie fibre from the 

 other parts of tlie h'af, is as follows : — The 

 leaves, when full grown, are cut down, the most 



wiftt a shell on each side of the leaf, so as simply 



to cut thro!igh the epidermis ; the shell is then, 

 with a gejith' [)i e^surr, drawn from one of the 

 incisions rapidly do\\n the leal", and is after- 



ivttipis refieaite^ tm ik'^ M% ; by iMa^ ^0 

 whiaie of tke extesmal epidermis is readily 

 moved ; tlie int^niial e]>i(hM-niis, whieli is of 

 very tliin texture, usually itMmiin?;, Imt ^ifHtic- 

 tiuies it is in the greatest part removed togetlier 

 with ifce ^eafflyal : the ttttfiiE?^! mm to unite 

 the fihrm of iM hs?i mm^ itiiimately together, 

 and if not Gleaz^ecl from the flax wIk u in 

 eent state, is nniovt'd afttTwnrds with <i;r(;it 

 difficulty ; and when it is sutlered to ri'iiiain, 

 renders the flatt less valuable m an ai'ticle of 



In the prepiration lA' tin- flax. ;is wvW :i< in 

 tilt* mtmufiactnre of it into niattiugi the i'emales 



