FLAX PLANTING AT TANGIMOANA.

Manawatu Herald, Volume L, Issue 3934, 23 April 1929, Page 1

FLAX PLANTING AT TANGIMOANA.

VALUABLE AREAS DEVELOPING. In the sand dunes reclamation work carried out <by the Forestry department at Tang'ilmoana, New Zealand flax has played an important part and has become well established on the low lying areas. During a visit to Tangimoana on Thursday, a reporter was informed by Mr. D. L. McPherson, head of the Forestry department in Palmerston North and district, that approximately 60 acres of flax has been .planted, an inspection revealing that in all eases the plants have become well established. The first plantings of flax were made between 1921 and 1922 but the work has only been carried out to any extent during the last two years. In a period of 18 (months the young plants have taken a good hold on the sandy, and to theim unsuitable soil, and now average about four feet in height. Naturally, the growth is not so pronounced as in the swampy native haunts of the plant, but j&t the same time, the results of the phormium planting have been most gratifying. Mr. McPherson expressed the opinion that the leaf of the young plants was of good quality and that there is every indication of the flax areas developing a large commercial value. At its present stage of growth, the flax forms shelter for the grasses which are now binding the sandy soil and has a double utility, in that it helps in the reclamation work and is developing, every year, oomlmercial possibilities.