THE Feilding Star. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 1890. Fibre

Feilding Star, Volume XI, Issue 103, 22 February 1890, Page 2

THE Feilding Star. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 1890. Fibre

Naturally enough the demand for fibre, whether flax, hemp, or sisal, which has sprung up within the last twelve mouths, has caused a good deal of attention to be directed to classes of vegetation outside of the common varieties of fibrous plants. Among others the fourc-roya is said to be valuable, and a Wellington correspondent of the Auckland Herald informs us the leaf is easily stripped and exposes a ribbon of well-defined fibres, not only much finer than flax, but nearly as tenacious. A single thread appeared as strong as ordinary sewing cotton. The plant, which is v a congener of the aloe, will grow itself out, but can be propagated to any extent by cuttings of the healthy plant. It is sub-tropical, will grow in the most unpromising land, and can be cut for its fibre leaves from year to year. Under the head of agave the character of this particular plant is described in most scientific papers. It will be wise for those who intend to continue in the hemp trade, to consider how supplies are to be maintained, because the wild flax upon which they have hitherto depended will soon be exhausted. As Phormium Tenax grows in Ireland, where it is known- as the bog lily ; has been successfully cultivated in Devonshite, England, and grows with extraordinary vigor in the hottest parts of New Zealand, there are no climatic difficulties presented to its successful production in any part of the colony, it stands to reason that Phormium Tenax may be made to hold its own against any foreign rivals which may start up to compete with it in the markets. What has yet been utilised has been of the coarsest kind, taken haphazard, without selection or the slightest attempt at the classification of the different species of plants, to which must be added the further disadvantage of bad, or indifferent, workmanship and packing. Yet, after all, it has " held its own" in an astonishing degree, apparently by its inherent merits. Let the New Zealand flax plant receive the same amount of cultivation, and care in the selection of the kinds for propagation, and we are convinced that there would be no other fibre in the world to exjel it for strength, fineness, and durability. But, while we hold that opinion, we would strongly advise those who undertake the cultivation of fibre plants, first to" experiment with all the varieties available to dicover which is not only the best, but the cheapest, to grow and prepare for the market. To do that would require a large amount of capital, but the money return would, after the third year at least, be a good one and sufficient reward for the enterprise.