OUR LOCAL INDUSTRIES.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2449, 10 February 1882, Page 3

OUR LOCAL INDUSTRIES.

Thh fact that nine oat of the twelve reaper* and binder* which took part at the recent trial were twine binder*, has established the presumption that, so far as New Zealand is concerned, the system of tying with wire will soon be a thing of the past. Although it may be said that this is the first year of the twine binding machines, wo have ascertained that 600 will bo in active use this harvest, and next year we may reasonably expect an additional 600, judging from the popularity of twine as compared with wire. The question na'.urally presents itself to our minds, Whence are we to draw our supplies of twine to feed these machines ? Are we to rest contented with sending large sums of money out of the colony annually, for an article which we are quite capable of profitably producing ourselves, the manufacture of which would open up an industry at onoo lucrative to all concerned, affording employment for young and old. The most superficial observer will admit that the time is rapidly passing away when the old method of continuous corn cropping must be abandoned, and something approaching a regular system of rotation instituted, which will admit of the 1 profitable growth of a greater variety of crops without the rapid exhaustion of the toil. European flax is eminently an industrial plant; it is, however, credited with being the most scourging of all farm crops. Probably it is so if grown at too short intervals, and if the whole of the seed bo sold off the farm. If long intervals are allowed (say seven years) to intervene before its repetition on the same land, no evil effects may be feared. Pew crops grown on a moderate scale, it well managed, will be found more profitable than flax. Prom £l2 to £2O per acre is no uncommon price for an acre of good crop in the North of Ireland, as it stands on the land, the purchaser performing all the subsequent operations necessary for preparing the seed and fibre tor market, Mr Murphy, the secretary of the Canterbury A. and P. Association, has frequently drawn attention to the matter of flax culture, and has urged upon our farmers the advantages to be derived from the cultivation of this crop, both to themselves and to the country. Some (as yet feeble) attempts have been made to develop his ideas on the subject without as yet achieving any great results. Most persons are aware that a company is about being formed at Bangiora for the manufacture of oil, oilcake, and fibre. Efforts are also being made in other directions with the same object. A considerable area has been sown with flax this season in the province, but owing to the continued drought in the early part of the summer, the crop will be short; nevertheless the yield of seed may be good. While on this point, it may be well to remind those of our readers who are flax-growers, and all others interested in the promotion of the flax industry, that the most important feature in the management of flax is the preparation of the straw, known to all experts as “retting ” or watering, the mode adopted for getting rid of the gummy matter which holds the fibre to the inner or woody portion of the stem. This is the most delicate process which the crop undergoes, and on which the success of it as to quality depends. The straw may be long, of even quality, and pulled at the right time, but if carelessly retted the quality of the fibre may be rendered comparatively valueless. Fortunately experts are to be had amongst our own farmers, who are, from long experience, familiar with every detail, and our proposed companies would do well to secure the services of such. One expert would suffice tor a largo district, where he could give personal direction to those farmers who preferred preparing their own fibre. Any reasonable amount spent in this way would be money well invested. The Flax Supply Association of Belfast spend considerable sums of money annually, in the payment of instructors, whose business is to travel round and show the farmers not only how to grow the crop, but how to prepare it in the best possible manner for the market. Unless some such system be adopted here, we need not look for any great measure of success. Our own flax harvest is now upon us. Some step* should be taken, if only in a small way, as for instance the appointment of on instructor for our Northern district. If the proposed companies are not prepared to follow our advice, then let them purchase the straw, cart it to their homesteads, and manipulate it themselves under skilled instruction. Flax straw, if carefully stacked, will retain it* virtue for years. Eoverting to the probable demand for twine, which the advent of twine-binder* will create, the following calculations will enable us to understand something of the importance of tV.e question under consideration. Take the present season. We have ascertained that about 600 twine-binders will be at work in our fields this seasoDgeach cutting on an average 200 acres, or a total of 120 000 acres. Allowing 2.)lbs of twine per acre, we shall require nearly 134 tons of twine, for which our farmers will have to pay something like £15,000 hard cash, most of which will have to be sent out of the country (to our shame), instead of being a source of profit to ourselves. One aore of well-grown flax will produce sowt of fibre suitable for twine making, worth at least 5d per lb. Apart from the seed, this would be a good return in itself. Further, it is reasonable to infer that the whole of the corn grown in New Zealand will, in time, be tied with twine. The area under grain this year will probably not fall far short of 800,000 acres, and we may look forward to equal areas in the future. This acreage, if tied with twine, would consume the enormous quantity of 892 tons (or £IOO,OOO, at it* present price, averaging Is per lb), every pound of which could, with the greatest ease, be produced by ourselves at one-third less cost than the imparted article, still leaving a good margin for profit. Surely, with such fact* before us, it should be unnecessary for us to have to urge the importance of this subject upon our agricultural friends and those seeking luora live investments for their capital.