THE EUROPEAN FLAX INDUSTRY.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2594, 31 July 1882, Page 4

THE EUROPEAN FLAX INDUSTRY.

f»SOM THIS “WKKKLT PBSSS.] In oar advertising columns of Saturday will be found the prospectus of the Canterbury Linseed Oil and Fibre Ckmran, (Limited), caoiisl £lO OCO, in 2100 eharoi of £5 ewsb, with po*er to Increase to £20,000. The provide) a’ direo tory is on unusually good one, and a Well for the success of the proposed company. Considering tho vest importance of the flax Industry in other countries, tho promoters ■KQ to bo congratulated for having initiated • company, the successful carrying out of whoue object* is fraught with euoh importance to the colony. By scanning the several report* of the meetings of tho promoters, wno at first contemplated preparing and shipping fibre to the Home market, a line of action we have never endorsed.it would seem that better counsels have prevailed, and that •t first the company propose directing their attention simply to the manufacture of oil, oil cake, and fibre for twine purposes. We have before pointed out that the demand lor twine for binding purposes will bo an increasing. one for some years to come, to supply which will tax all our energies, when we reflect that twine binders ar.i destined to supplant tho wire. Wo have in a previous article pointed oat that before many years are over our requirements of the harvest field will probably approach four or five hundred tonii per annum. ('gain, we have m le.rga local demand for seaming and other twines, every pound of which should be produced by ourselves. Wo should remember Hull every £ wo send out of the country for twine is so muon thrown away, for twine adds nothing to our wealth, it ia simply used and after a week or so cast aside. It ia now pretty well known that twine of any value -osnuot bo imported and delivered to the farmer much if anything under Is per lb, whitreas it is confidently expected that twine manufactured on the spot from European fibre can be supplied at from 8J to 9i per lb. It must also bo remembered that, owing to the strength of the fibre, it can be spun so fine as to average a greater number of fuel; per lb than any other fibre, which will render the twine comparatively cheaper than any other fibre, even if supplied at tho same price. This is a point which should not be overlooked. We are ia receipt of a pamphlet prepared by the secretary of the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association, and issued by tho promoters far circulation throughout the country, _ which contains a large amount of practical infraction, beginning with the soils suitable foe the growth of flix, nud following it through tho until tho fibre manufacturer's hands. Tho cost ofcfaod noing an aero of flax is given as £ll ffiff**, including retting and grassing, crushing •nil scutching the straw; and the yield as twenty bushels of s*-od (which is far from a ii|;h average), and Siowt. of fibre, valued at SOti par owt. The seed is set down as worth Cl per bushel, the pries at which it would pay for oil pnrpouoa. At these low estimates the return for an acre would be £8 10j, after deducting all costs. There are hundreds of Mies in Canterbury which would probably average 30 bushels of seed per acre—but wa think 20 bushels is a safe average. An opinion prevails that unless the flax is taken to the retting pools immediately it is pulled or out, the fibre will be of inferior quality and of little valne. An investigation of the cyfitems in vogue on the Continent and in America will at once set aside such erroneous opinions. The common practice in some parts of the Continent is to dry the flax on the field, aad staok after the fashion of loom, where it remains till the following spring, When the weather becomes warm enough it If retted and grassed, or it may be •tacked till after harvest, when _ the Mod is taken off, and it is either dwa or water-retted during tho autumn.

3K.0 seed may be taken off daring the winter, and the retting take place the following a»tttTg"or summer. (Mr. Marshall, of the OiLft, hae ehown that flax straw, if kept dry, trill produce good fibre after a number of 'roars. The Bare pi 3 of fibre sent to the Melbourne Exhibition by tha Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association, and winch was awarded a medal, was prepared by Ur. Marshall from straw which had been in ttitck four years. We wish to lay particular ■fares* on this aspect of the question. Had ill to bs retted as soon bb pulled, t v ore would be an end to its extensive culture in Now Zealand, for the simple reason that farmers could not devote the necessary time M attention to work requiring each minute attention aa that of steeping and grassing. A the summer ceaeon is unsuitable for grassing, in consequence of the prevailing high winds. Of course a few farmers might bo found who would devote tha time and attention necessary, but the great majority could not do so j nor is it accessary that they should, as we have indicated. listening to tha prospectus under consideration, we notice an important clause, to the effect that the ocimpiry will be prepared to purchase the crops, either scutched or in the straw. Wo are of opinion that the lans the farmer hsa to do with tha crop after it has come to maturity the! better it will be for all parties. The operation of retting and greasing is one of the most important, andjif not carried out with skill and care the results will not be satisfactory. The company, in asleoting sites for their scutching mills, would do well to secure a few acres attached to each, arid having the command of a good water supply, where they could establish their own retteries, which would be carried <nt under the supervision of a practical expert. The result would be a more uniform quality of fibre. It may be objected that the cartage would be too great, •silt we do not think so. A couple of good teams of horses would sweep a district having a radius of ten miles. The best crop will rarely produce more than two tons of diy straw, or little more than one load. The ■aad could be threshed out either by tha farmer or by the company j this would ba a matter of arrangement. Of course there jjWViSxld be nothing to prevent any grower from retting his own straw, and thereby as curing to himself the full profit of his mop. As soon as all the straw was carted Izito the company’s ground the retting process Blight commence. Doubtless the company will see their way to add to their business that of paper making. By doing so, all the dux straw which was too short for fibre ocmld be converted into pulp for paper making. We notice by the " EurofHian Mail 1 ' that the growing of flax Cl seed, and the straw for paper making is being entered into in the West of England, The return for last year’s crop was twenty bushels of seed and two tons of straw. The ■end sold at 8s par bushel, and the straw (ensteoped), at £4 10s per ton, giving a total oil £l7 10s per acre. The manager of the JBly paper works offers the same price for 1(100 tons next year. With such facts before nil, with a local market for twine and oil, we biLve every reason to look forward to a prosperous career for the Canterbury Oil and Ifibro Company. With efficient management, di vested of all home prejudices, and a judicious application of surrounding oirenmstances, Canterbury may soon become the seat of a flourishing linen industry.