THE FLAX EXPERIMENTS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 3774, 24 September 1907, Page 3

THE FLAX EXPERIMENTS.

The first lot of flax from the test plots at the Weraroa Experimental Station was milled at Swainson’s and Sevan’s mill at Manakau on Friday last. The result, so far, goes to show that varieties exhibiting distinctive characteristics in certain localities retain their peculiarities of form and texture when grown under dissimilar climatic and soil conditions, a fact which has hitherto been a subject for considerable speculation, many prominent authorities contending that the different varieties were merely variations of the one variety brought about by reason of the soil and climate of the locality in which they grow. Of coitrse the important experiment being conducted does not prove the variety problem with any conclusiveness. It may be when the different varitie/have been thoroughly acclimatised in a district they will take on much the same characteristics. It is declared that certain of the varieties being experimented with at Weraroa give a fibre which can be picked out in the drying paddocks by the naked eye of a layman. It is probable a deputation from the Flaxmillers’ Association will visit the Experimental plots and inspect the work of milling now in progress at Manakau. It may be pointed out that the expert adviser to the department, Mr McGregor, is classifying the experimental plants, so that interested visitors to the station will now have an object lesson they have not been able to hitherto enjoy. While Mr McGregor is classifying the varieties the department’s instructor, Mr Stewart, is superintending the milling operations.