FLAX GROWING.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIII, Issue 9148, 18 May 1908, Page 7

FLAX GROWING.

In the course pf a reply to a request from Tasmania as to the best method of-growing flax, Mr McNab quotea~the following remarks by Mr G. M’Gregor, who has recently been appointed to the Department as an expert in the cultivation of the plant:—“This is one of the easiest plants to grow, is not in any way affected by frosts or the most severe winds, and the plant may be left out of the ground for weeks without injury.

“In digging np the plant it is well -to dig some little distance from the roots, so as to get well under the plant, catting the large or main roots, when it will be found the shoots can be easily broken or cut off with the spade. Before planting, it is well to follow the Native mode, and cut off on a bevel from the roots to the crown (or centre-leaf) all the outside leaves, leaving the' centre one only, and if that should he over, say, 3ft., to cut it off also. IE all the leaves are left on they die away and retard the growth of the young shoots. “In planting, the ground should be well worked, four roots being planted together at right angles to one another, the ends of the roots together, the tops to incline outwards ; the plants will then have a slanting position. This is the method adopted by the Natives, and, in my opinion, is the best. “If planted in rows I think there should he a space of not less than 6ft. from centre to centre each way. By planting at this distance apart, it will require about 4800 plants to the acre. Needless to say, the better the cultivation the better the result.

“The aim of those who propose ,to cultivate the plant should be to plant only the best varieties. “The better condition the ground is in the more successful and heavier the yield., I find the better plan is to cut the plants back, and well cultivate the second year after -planting. It tends to encourage the plants to throw out extra shoots. I thave some planted not quite three years, and although severely cut back last year, it must have increased by fully thirty full-grown plants to the cro'tvn. That is, I plant four roots at opposite angles touching at the centre, and i i less than three years they have increased •to thirty plants. “The average weight of ordinary swamp flax (not cultivated) required to give a ton of fibre is from eight •bo nine tons. Six and three-quarter tons of cultivated flax will return a ton of fibre. Ordinary flax country {not cultivated) will give from twenty to thirty tons of raw material to the acre. An acre of ■cultivated flax yields from forty-five to sixty tons of green flax, the principal reason being that there is not'so much waste, tnere being more fibre to the leaf (or blade). “The cutting of the green flax for the mill is not so carefully done as it should be, there being far too much waste. On no account should the centre leaf be cut. In fact, lam of opinion that the three centre leaves should he left. It would not damage the roots, as it certainly ■does when the centre leaf is cut, and if three leaves are left the flax would again be cut a year earlier—a great consideration. Of course, the expense of cutting would be greater, as more care would be required, and a cutter would require to cover a larger area to procure the same weight of flax.