THE GROWTH OF FLAX.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XL, Issue 1870, 29 August 1918, Page 3

THE GROWTH OF FLAX.

A correspondent in our Palmerston evening contemporary writes as follows: —

“A letter to a public newspaper should be of public interest, and I think the following will be found of sufficient general interest to justify insertion. I wish to advance a theory regarding the growth of flax — a theory held by hundreds who have had experience amongst flax, and yet a theory not held by many of those who own the flax, which fact is, in my opinion, unfortunately to the detriment of the flax industry. In very recent years flax does not seem to have the same strong growth as of years ago. In many parts the flax is poor and thin in quality, and great quantities of dead blades are found in the bushes. Insects have been found upon the flax and are said to ho the cause of the dead blades. Experts have been sent to investigate, and have had various things to say regarding those insects, which they blame as the cause of (he flax dying. The millers seem to accept the insect theory, and say that the dryness of. the ground is possibly a cause of the appearance of the insects. In this they are right, but they seem at a loss to right matters, which seems

strange,

Years ago flaxcutting was a job to be avoided. In those days the swamps were wet, really wet, and even gum hoots would not always keep one dry. The swamps then were often flooded, and the hushes were often half submerged, with the result that the flax was green and fresh, and few insects were seen. Lately great drains have been put through the swamps with the result that some swamps are never flooded, as the storm water gets away quickly. The result is that the swamp ground, which is soft and peaty in parts, in drying, has sunk and become lower in level. The flax hushes being solid have not fallen with the ground, hut have remained and been exposed, the ground having fallen away from them. Thousands of (lax bushes are seen from eighteen inches to two feet above the ground, only the extremities of their roots being in the soft soil. Consennenlly the flax bush is povertystricken; it does not get sufficient nourishment. A hush needs to he well set in the soft ground, and properly surrounded with earth to give out a vigorous, healthy growth. Where (lax planting lias been tried hashes such as 1 have described have been planted deep in the soil, and have immediately given oat a clear strong, growth. If the millers want a clean, vigorous growlii of (lax every plant that has been left high and almost dry by the sinking ground must ho dug ont and replanted level in the soil. That is the true remedy, and it is of great importance to the millers and to this district.”