New Zealand Flax.

Cromwell Argus, Volume I, Issue 14, 16 February 1870, Page 7

New Zealand Flax.

(From the Southern Crons.)

A flax bush properly treated will yield two crops a year, or, in other words, every acre of ground will produce fifteen tons of green flax—about two tofts of fibre. This, sold at the low price of £2O per ton, gives £4O per acre, or £40,000 from 1000 acres. Flax, like every other article of commerce, commands a price according to quality—inferior grades being about £2O per ton, a bettor quality from £3O to £4O, while extra fine is worth £SO per ton. At the latter figure, 1000 acres of flax bush would produce £IOO,OOO per annum. It cannot be expected, however, that the entire product of an estate will be extra fine. A fair way of arriving at the aggregate yield would be to divide the gross amount into first, second, and third classes, and accept £4O as the mean price, which would give £BO,OOO a year. The following is an estimate of the cost of preparing and putting into the market four tons ;—Depreciation of machinery, 12s; eight men’s wages, at 25s per week, £lO ; one man at engine, 35s ; twelve lads, at 12s, £7 4s ; 24 tons of green flax, at 15s, £18; packing, baling, die., £4 ; 3 tons 8 cwt of coal, at 20s, £2 8s ; freight and sundry other expenses, say £8 : making a total of £sl 19s for four tons, or £l2 19s 9d for one ton. Deducting this sum from £4O, the mean price of the fibre, we have £27 0s 3d left as a nett profit per ton, or £54,050 on the 2000 tons of fibre taken from 1000 acres of land. The estimated cost of machinery is : An eight-horse engine (with Cornish boilers), £2OO ; four machines at £22, £B4; scutching hooks, £ls ; one screw press, £l2 ; building, £lB5 : making the total cost of a mill £SOO. All this refers to the manufacture of indigenous flax, with the present rude appliances and comparatively unskilled workmen. Were it, like many 6ther branches of industry, reduced to a science, the estates cleared off, the best quality of flax planted and properly cultivated, gathered carefully, and manufactured with .a view of producing the finest and whitest fibre, the profits per annum would be very largely increased.