PROMISING FUTURE FOR FLAX

Chronicle (Levin), 11 December 1946, Page 3

PROMISING FUTURE FOR FLAX

RESEARCH WORK AT MOUTOA The flax industry which boomed in the Manawatu district in the years of high prices for hemp and chen, after the beSt swamps had been cut out and the market slumped, languished so badly that it threatened to die out eompletely, may be facing a' new period of development. Work by botanists on the Moutoa area, which is controlled by the Department of Industries and Commerce, to maintain flax supplies for the woolpack and textile factory at Foxton, has opened up promising new prospects.

Development of the plantation through the selection of the most suitable secdlings, and their multiplication to thicken up growth in certain areas, has been under taken by the botany section of the department. The plantation manager, Mr. J. A. Swindlehurst, of Shannon, has developed a much improved technique for raising seedlings, using seed from the Moutoa swamp area, and from selected strains propagated by the division, which has a staff manager stationed at Foxton. Sufficient seedlings have been supplied to more than meet requirements, and some of the surplus stock has been made available to the Soil Erosion Council for its work. Cordage and matting requirements are engaging the attention of research workers on the flax area. The- woolpack and textile company is building up quite a good trade in the matting business. Endeavours are being made to supply a stronger fibre most suitable for that purpose.- Flax strains tested out for cordage purposes are now being grown . in quantity. Fairly large samples of scutched fibre were sent to an English ropemaking flrm, which has reported favourably on several of them. Further improvement of these strains is being sought. Another line of research has been in developing a softer fibre suitable for certain requirements of the textile industry. Ordinary phormium tenax has been crossed by Mr. Swindlehurst with the mountain flax, phormium colensoii. The mountain flax has a soft but rather weak fibre, but crossing with phormium tenax has produced a soft flax of considerably greater strength than the mountain variety. This is now being planted out and supplies should be available in several years. " Botanists are at pr.esent working with the Plant D'iseases Division, and also with the Soil Research Bureau, on a scherhe of investigation to determine the causes of the yellow-leaf disease and what remedial measures may be applied. There are indicatlons that it may be a deficiency . disease, ahd that deficiency may 'be* lack of boron. Yellow-leaf d'iseagh #erfodically gives trouble in-'flaX^grdWihg areas, ' and last year occurred at Moutoa.