FLAX CULTIVATION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3728, 10 December 1927, Page 3

FLAX CULTIVATION.

RECENT EXPERIMENTS. Mi-. J. S. Yeates, of Victoria College, has submitted to the Council of Scientific Research a summary of his work during the last three months in connection with the hybridisations o fspecies of the New Zealand flax (phormium). •Mr. Yeates mentions that there are two species, and that many of the varieties are supposed to be hybrids between the two species. • The general conclusions are: — “That it should be possible to cross successfully any two varieties of flax which flower at about the same time} that, in general varieties do not come true from seed; that is the near future planting will be done chiefly with hybrid seedlings which will be the first generation from crosses between suitable parent varieties. The parent varieties will be selected for resistance to disease, quality of fibre, and yield per acre. The hybrid offspring should grow more vigorously and combine the desirable qualities of two or more natural varieties.” Mr. P. W. Aitken, M.Sc., of Dunedin, has also been investigating at Miranui and Shannon, the possibilities of bleaching flax, using various chemical bleaching agents, and the result is stated to have been the production of some fibre of a fine colour in appearance. The experiments, it is stated, give a definite promise of good results accruing which will obviate the expensixe business of paddocking and fencing.