NEW ZEALAND FLAX IN IRELAND.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 2338, 6 October 1921, Page 4

NEW ZEALAND FLAX IN IRELAND.

(From “The Cordage World,” London.)

In the House of Commons last month, Colonel Ashley (Lancastei, Fylde) asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether his attention has been drawn to the successful experimental results obtained duiing the last siS years by growing New Zealand flax in the South-West-of Ireland; and whether, in view of the importance of encouraging local industries in that country, he will take steps to give some official encouragement to this promising enterprise? Mr Brown; I have already had an inspection made of the experiments in the growing of New Zealand ffax in the South-West of Ireland, and mm advised that it is not likely that small farmers in the district in question could be induced to take it up. If the hon. and gallant member will specify more exactly the nature of the encouragement desired, the matter will have further consideration. I am not, however, in a position to promise financial assistance for the experiments. In regard to the foregoing, it may be mentioned that New Zealand flax has been successfully cultivated at Kew Gardens since it was originally introduced in 1780 by Sir Joseph Banks, who accompanied Captain Cook in one of his voyages, in which New Zealand was visited. A few years ago through the director of Kew and the High Commissioner of New Zealand, several consignments of plants were brought over and distributed to cultivators in different parts of the Kingdom, in order to test the suitability of this country for growing the plant on a large scale. Experiments with this object in view were carried out by Major A. A. Dorrien-Smith, at Treseo, Scill.v Islands; the Right Hon. Lord Ventry, at Burnham, Dingle, Co. Kerry; Mr .1. Wallace, Loch b)an House, Stranraer, in the South of Scotland; and Mr J. A. Campbell, Ardnanie, Argyllshire. It seems that there are a large number of varieties of Ibis plant—some twenty to twenty-five in all —several of them not being suited to this climate, but, generally speaking, the reports of the above gentlemen givan in the Kew Bulletin, No. 4, 1019, are favourable. It. appears to be a hardy plant, and will grow almost anywhere, even on hillsides and in swampy places, but it thrives best in cultivated peaty ,soil. It can be grown either from seed or from oflshoots, and it seeds well in this country. Besides its use in cordage making, the fibre is also suitable for paper manufacture. Lord Ventry had 10 tons of the leaves cut in

May, 1917, which were converted into brown paper by the Irish Paper Mills Company, of Clonkal!:in, near Dublin, which was well reported upon by the chemist, as well as the chairman of that company.