FLAX GROWING.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3732, 20 December 1927, Page 3

FLAX GROWING.

DR. YEATES’S REPORTS. PROBLEMS TO BE SOLVED. A previous report by Dr. J. S. Yeates upon his work in connection with New Zealand flax (Phormium tenax), furnished to the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, has now been amplified 1 . IWith regard-to the failure of flax to come true from seed he suggests that it would be presumptuous to say at the present time 'that no flax breeds true. It is highly probable that pure breeding strains do exist in some isolated localities

where cross-pollination is difficult. His-view that most varieties do nbt ' breed true whs based on examination of several batches of nursery grown seedlings, each batch nominally being of one variety. In every case it was found that there were seedlings obviously of different varieties. The differences are sometimes so marked that certain kinds of seedlings are “weeded” out from the rows of young flax plants. Two separate aspects of this failure to breed true need consideration here. First, there can be no - doubt that a fairly large proportion of the seedlings resemble the seed parent. It is therefore possible to select from the seedlings plants which resemble the parent. The main objection to this is the great amount of extra expense involved in selecting the right seedlings and. in growing the rejected plants until they are old enough to be- distinguished. The second objection is concern- . ed with a loss of hybrid vigour in the plants. A self-pollinated flax plant produces mixed seedlings because the plant itself is already a hybrid. The seedlings, however,

will show the effects of hybrid vigour much less than does the original hybrid. In America, for instance, it has been found that crossing two varieties of plants may give a hybrid with 50‘to, 100 per cent, more vigour of growth than either parent. The seed from

these hybrids, however, grew into plants with about one half of this hybrid vigour. This loss of vigour appears to be the same as the effect of close “inbreeding” of animals. From this it should be plain why hybrid flax seedlings are considered best. If seedlings are to be planted they should be as vigorous as possible, in other words, they should be the original hybrids. A single pod or capsule of flax produces about 100 seeds and this number of plants would result from a single cross-pollination. About 1500 seedlings are required to plant one acre, so that the task for raising hundreds of acres of seedlings fronr artificial pollination should be quite possible and profitable. w

Hybrid vigour is a : secondary aim in crossing, the' combination of desirable qualities being the main object. The characters most desirable are considered to be: —(1) Resistance to disease —especially yellow leaf; (2) strength of fibre; (3) percentage of fibre; (4) vigour of growth; (5) colour of leafbutt, white or otherwise; and (6) shape of leaf-tip.

NURSERY FOR EXPERIMENTS. Dr. Yeates advocates a central experimental nursery in which varieties could be collected for comparison and breeding, the flax areas throughout the country being carefully examined and selected plants collected. A survey of this kind would aim at finding and describing all varieties, determining by their associations any possible relationships between the varieties, the effect of environment on growth, and, in yellow leaf areas, much should be* found as to immune varieties.

Hybridising should begin at once, but from fiv6 to eight years would be required before any improved varieties could be ready for planting. For more immediate planting, seed should be collected from the best flax-types, and' either the seed or the seedlings supplied to flax growers. Experimental work should be undertaken in conjunction with growers to decide several questions which are most urgent.

CO-ORDINATION WANTED. In conclusion, says Dr. Yeates, it may be emphasised that the time is overdue when flax-growing should be placed on a scientific basis. Keen competition in the world’s markets demands both an improvement in quality and in uniformity, and a reduction of labour costs the latter being one of the largest items in the production of Phormiurn fibre. Everything. seems to indicate systematic cultivation and mechanicaj. handling of flax as the chief remedy. It is only to be expected that repeated cutting of heavy crops off uncultivated swamps would lead to deterioration both in quality and quantity—an expectation which appears to be fully borne out by the experience of millers. In addition, the swamp has the disadvantages of expensive cutting and carrying, , and of mixed varieties. Cultivated flax would almost certainly be cut by mechanical means and the same tractor used for cutting would be available for hauling. The preliminary work on selection, breeding, and cultivation should be done before planting begins on an extensive scale. That it is really worth doing is shown by the fact that much has been done already by individual millers. Valueable'as work by individual concerns may be, there can be no doubt that combined work by all interested has everything in its favour, it

is waste for several men each to spend time and money on the same problem; nor can one man, or a company, often afford to look far enough ahead in its progremme of research. The industry in New Zealand is small; it must stand or fall as a unit. The pooling of experience already gained, and coordination in future research appear to offer the most hopeful lines of advance.