Varieties of Flax.

Manawatu Herald, 14 July 1904, Page 3

Varieties of Flax.

PPREFITS OF CULTIVATION. Several acres of the W eraroa State experimental station, near Levin, are now planted with our indigenous flax. The cultivation comprises a collection of the varities, or so-called varieties, of phormium tenax from the surrounding districts, and they are being grown side by side for the purposes of comparison. The comparison will go towards settling the question of wliut varieties are likely to be specially suitable for particular purposes, and how far the variation between them is due to local conditions. It may be discovered that some varieties have qualities —or quaiities may be developed by cultivation which will make them give a bigger return than is got under the present method of wholesale cutting without discrimination between mature and immature flax. It will be some years before the experimental cultivation at Weraroa will be sufficiently advanced to demonstrate anything. In. the meantime, much hope is afforded by a letter, published in the Agricultural Department’s last report, from Mr Gregor McGregor, of Maxwelltown, who has studied the subject for some years, and is intimately acquainted with the native methods of cultivation and dressing. Mr McGregor gives the Maori names of five different varieties, each having peculiar qualities} and states: Thgrb is a vast differencei ifi4he yield per acre" Irsm the ordinary swamp flax—that is flax that has been grown in the ordinary way, and that of the cultivated flax —both in Quantity and quality of fibre. The average yield from an acre of unoultivated flax is about from 10 to 15 tons, sometimes rich land going as high as 25 tons (this, of course, is the raw material.) An acre of cultivated flax grown on good soil will cut from 45 to 55 tons. There is, again, a much larger percentage of fibre from the cultivated flax; the difference is one ton of fibre from seven tons of raw flax cultivated, and one ton of fibre from eight, and in some cases nine, tons of uncultivated. The difference in the yield and in the quality should, in my opinion, encourage cultivation, apart from the fact that by cultivaSthe most profitable varieties Id be propagated. A very imant matter, and one which will require a deal of care and consideration, is the choosing or classing of the different varieties. This is a matter which experience only will teach. I think that before the best results will be obtained for our flax, improved machinery is required, as dressing by that now in use injures the fibre.”-^Post.