GUM OF THE NEW ZEALAND FLAX.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XI, Issue 74, 16 March 1876, Page 2

GUM OF THE NEW ZEALAND FLAX.

The P/tormium tenax, or New Zealand flax, is one of the moat useful and most valuable of plants crown in the Southern Hemisphere. Throughout the colony Nature haa spread it with lavish hands in almost every spare nook, where it springs spontaneously and thrives luxuriantly in almost noy situation, furnisbing from itß long greon leaves an inexhaustible store of tying material. In a manufactured state its strength exceeds hemp and European flax. Through use and exposure to frequent wettings aud dryings it soon become eußeless unless saturated with tar, which renders it one of the best cords for bracing purposes in merchant ships aud seafaring vessels. In another point of view the Phormium tenax produces gum superior iv strength to that obtained from the Arabian gum wattle (Acacia Arabica), so much in use on paper, particularly in the letter line. Huving experimented with the. two gum.?, the results are as follow : — Eight drachms of tho raw material of each were dissolved separately in the same quantity of warm water. Six pieces of paper from tbe same sheet-— the same size and weight — were gummed, three with flax-gum, and tbree with gum-arabic. The papers were , folded and fastened, as one would do with an envelope, carefully labelling each, and laying them aside for a few days to dry. On the fourth day the papers were suspended over a boiling copper. At 2 mins. 40 sees, two of ihe gum-arabics opened, and the third at 3 mins. Five minutes elapsed with no sign oi the flax-gum yielding ; at. 6 , rains. '4 sees, two pieces partly opened, being completely saturated with the condensed steam. At 7 mins. tbe third yielded, and about 9 sees, afterwards the tenacious qualities had disappeared — thus proving that flax-gum is considerably over twice the strength of the modern postage fastener. — Guardian.