DRAWING THE LONG BOW.

New Zealander, Volume XVIII, Issue 1721, 6 September 1862, Page 5

DRAWING THE LONG BOW.

To the Editor of the New-Zealander

Sir,—Lust week one of your correspondents astonished the readers of tlie New Zealandkr with a brief description of bis experience of hard labor at Mount Eden. In his communication be states that " the weekly quantity of metal broken was about thirty-three cubic yards, or about two-thirds of a yard per man per week!" Surely this> is. a typographical error and your printer's devil mush have been a careless devil not to correct the statement, which would have looked better thus—for week read day. He also states that ho has known stones to be broken in Scotland for less than ten pence per yard. (Poor, miserable Scotchmen, why don't they all come to Mount Eden?) At the celebrated quarry called " Tain's Loup," where blocks measuring; thirty or forty solid yards are sometimes hurled forth, stones are carted for many miles, but I never knew them to be broken tor less than Is. Bd., generally Is. 10d., and sometimes as high as 2s. per yard. Moreover, your correspondent states that many often break their three yards per day. I should like to see him strip his coat, spit in his fist, and begin to break in one day three yards of stones, according to the standard size in Scotland fragments sufficiently small to pass freely through a ring 2} inches diameter. I am afraid that after a long day's work he would fall far short of the specified quantity. However, I have no doubt that if the prisoners at Mount Eden were allowed half-a-crown a yard for all stones quarried and broken, they would work more labouriously, learn habits of industry, and be less expensive to the community at large. What, bribe prisoners to undergo their punishment, instead of making their duties as irksome and distasteful as possible? Yes. pay them for a good day's work, and it will not be badly spent money in the end. This, and toll-bars, or what would, perhaps, be better, and less expensive in collecting, a horse-tax, with a little more brain in certain quarters which shall be nameless, might afford the means for making and keeping the roads in better condition. Amicus. September Ist, 1862. To the Editor of the Nkw-Zealani>kh. Slß,—Having received a communication from my friend, Alfred Nicholas, Esq., late member for the Hnon District, Tasmania, with specification for separating the fibre of the " Phormium Tenax," or New Zealand flax, and cleaning it from all mucilage or gummy matter, I beg to enclose you the particulars for the information of the public generally, and shall be happy to give you further information, by a second letter received from Mr. Nicholas, should you deem it of similar importance to the public or to persons who may take an interest in developing the products o f the colony. I am, sir, your obedient servant, R, Dklkv. Auckland, 29th August, 1862. SPECIFICATION FOR BBPARATINO TIIK FIBRE! OF TUB PHORMIUM TENAX, <>K NEW ZEALAND FLAX, AND CLEARING IT FKO.U ALL MUCILAGE OR GL'.MMV MATTER. •' This flax is a compound of several substances, the principal being selicia lignum, muriate of soda, and a strong gum or mucilage insohmblein water, alcohol, or acids, but soluable in alkalies soda and potassa, which Inst menstrum I employ made of wood ashes, which the New Zealand wood is well adapted to yield. The ley to be of the specific gravity—l,loo, which is sufficient strength for dissolving the mucilage with the assistance of heat; but I do not bind myself to this strength of ley, as the strength required will depend a good deal upon the time the flax has been gathered. The flax being cut about a foot from the root is tied in bundles of about Albs, weight each and placed horizontally in an iron boiler The most convenient fiize is about 150 gallons, and to contain 100 bundles of flux, upon which must be poured about three times the weight of weak ley, or 150 gallons, for their decomposition, the whole is to be then boiled say twelve hours (less will do), taking care to keep up the loss caused by the evaporation. The bundles pre then taken out for heckling, which is performed by the workmen taking the bundle in bis band and passing it rapidly, yet carefully, through three different sized heckles, the heckles to be the same as those usually used for flax dressing. The bundles so heckled are to be passed to the next workman, who is supplied with a scraper or scarifier armed with short teeth, and a bench having an incline, upon which are placed the bundles to be scraped, which removes the remaining gum or mucilage, care being taken to rinse them well in clean water during the operation; the bundles arc then again boiled in another copper or boiler, the first boiler being filled again, with fresh flax to continne the process, and boiled again for say not exceeding six hours in a weaker ley to complete the separation of the mucilage, they arc then taken out and well rinsed in warm water, then rung and well shaken and hung on hurdles or rails to dry, which will take about 6 hours, thus completing the operation in 24 hours. When the flax is perfectly dryit is to be carefiilly collected, so as not to entangle the fibres, and made into small bundles called banks, and, if necessary, sorting the different sizes anil slightly oiling to render them more pliable, and again heckling previous to spinning. It is obvious that this latter process is only necessary when it is intended for manufacture into rope or other material. The scrapings of the mucilage containing soda potassa and lignia form an excellent manure; while the hecklings, being composed of short filaments when washed and dried passed through coarse heckles, are spun into warps for the making of rope mats, the residuum being used for stuffing mattrasses, chairs, or sofas. " Hobart Town, Tasmania, June 8, 1801." [Samples of flax cleaned by this process, sent with the above letter, may be seen at our office.—Ei>. N.Z.]