449 
On the Flax of JSTew Zealand. 
exhibited by a few threads of silk, carefully spun., as 
their very great tensibility causes them all to make an 
effort nearly equal before they yield to the effort made 
to break them. 
It may not be improper here to remark, that the Chi- 
nese, who make great use of silk strings for their musi- 
cal instruments, have no doubt found that twisting them 
for that purpose hurts their strength, and also the just- 
ness of the sound, for they are manufactured without 
twisting; the threads of which they are composed being 
merely united by means of an elastic resin : on this ac- 
count they are, on the first view, taken for catgut. I 
have no doubt that if our artists would attempt this new 
manufacture, their labours would be attended with suc- 
cess, especially as they employ with great dexterity va- 
rious kinds of elastic resin; but that extracted from the 
Vahe of Madagascar, ( Vahea elastica ,) would be prefera- 
ble to caoutchouc, which comes from Guyana, because 
the latter has a very dark tint, while the other inclines 
very much to a white colour. It readily dissolves, as is 
well known, in ether. Besides gum elastic extracted 
from several other vegetables might also be employed 
for the same purpose. 
The Phormium tenax is far from being the only plant 
of the division of the monocotyledons, capable of furnish- 
ing filaments proper for the uses of rope-making; for be- 
sides some gramineous plants, most of the palms, and all 
the species of the Agave, &c. there are many others of 
this great division which have not yet been employed, 
and which might be turned to advantage, particularly se- 
veral kinds of iris, the leaves of which possess very great 
strength. 
I must here observe, that in most plants of the divi- 
sion of the monocotyledons, the leaves produce the fila- 
ments proper for the purposes of rope-making; and the 
Yol. ii. 3 K 
