Improvements in dressing Flax.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, 14 March 1890, Page 2

Improvements in dressing Flax.

'» ; The hemp millers must acknow ledge tlytf thq country press of the Colony are doing all they oan to forward the industry, , and, spar© »o pains to find out what processes millers adopt, and then lay the same before their readprs. Our contemporary the HriWera Stcb'vtaA shown " one of the brightest, whitest, aud best samples of dressed "fibre " the other day, and it came from Mr Mcjjeqda newly erected mill. A a this gentleman has evidently thought out the question of dressing, and has not only a new stripper but also a now scutchor, an--TOcmnrtr-trf~'-*4ie same must prorf wtere^tjng ito our readers. THe. s tor saygj — One of the main.featuies in McLeod'a machines is that' he ha^ -cibne^^^y with, the high , snee.d .strippers . and lias adoptod a Bystem' ofsttaptoi* instead. The leaf is fed into a funne'shaped nioirtlr, whicli leadß ( Unto a

Pair of rollers, which crush and hold the leaf firmly ; from these it * passes between a pair of revolving discs, on which there are raised curved corrugations, the ridge of corrugation beiug nharp enough to act as a scraper. While the leaf is - passing through the rollers, theso discs revolve somewhat Easter ., than the leaf; is fed between them so .that it is scraped while hold by the rollers. The scraped fibre is said to be- ' uiuchroore free f torn gum than that ■which .has been .stripped by the or-; dinary process^: '•• on Reaving the scrapers is passed through, a washing trough built on the principle of the old cider mil!. A wooden roller is fitted so as to revolve round ai 1 * circular wodderi trough through ■«lrich asmalhstream' 'of water- flows. „. The scraped fibre ia laid in this water and the rolling under water cleanses the fibre fei'eaUy and Iposens all particles of ' hu-fc,'- which ' have escaped the, scrapers. It is then soaked in a si eeping tank which greatly reduces the time required for drying and bleaching. The scutchers differ from those in general use in that the beaters are set obliquiely instead of at right angles.; tp the feed, and the mouth bf tlie feed with inciia rubber- buffers, sa that the man feeding can if he wishes pull back or release the fibre at will in case of a jamb or a foul. There are we believe other mimr improvements in the machinery at .this mill, but wh at "we have written should sufficient, y indicate the progressive r. ess of the industry. Yesteidftj-'s riews of a heavy fall in the value indicates the importance of maintaining -the highest possible standard of quality ( in fibre, and we can confidently recommend those with any consider < able interests at stake to take a. run up to Auckland to see Mr McLeod's ! mill, and ascertain for themselves j whether the fibre as turneil ovit there ( is not honestly worth £G or £8 more per ton than much of that which at present leaves this district. '