THE EUROPEAN FLAX INDUSTRY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1110, 19 June 1883, Page 1

THE EUROPEAN FLAX INDUSTRY.

The following letter will doubtless b read with interest by many of our subscribers : TO THE EDITOR OF THE ASHBURTON MAIL Sir,—As the season has now arrive, when farmers will be arranging for th j cropping of their land for the comini' season, it may not be out of place if I offer a few remarks with your permission on the above important question. There is, as you are aware, a very large area of land in the Asburton district admirably adopted for the growth of European flax of the finest quality. lam authorised t > say that if the farmers will only sow a sufficient quantity, say 250 acres, the Can terbury Linseed, Oil and Fibre Compan are prepared to give guarantee that the. will be prepared to purchase all the crop* grown, and to erect one of their acutchin machines in the centre of the distrul where the fl»x has been grown. By •. doing the growers will be spared all th* trouble of retting, etc Arrangement-, are being made to provide suitable flax threshing machines which will remove the seed without impairing the straw for fibre purposes. Land intended for fla r . must bo free from weeds and of goo 1 quality ; old grsss land turned over now, and allowed to remain so till spring, wil • be found the most suitable preparatior. Land which has grown one crop of when after grass, or clean turnip land is ahu suitable. bushels of seed is the best quantity to sow per acre for' the production of seed, and fibre as well. Many ol ‘ country fiax growers maintain that it L impossible to produce a good fibre from flax straw which has ripened its seed The fhlacy of this old idea will be raadf apparent to any one who will take tlio trouble to call at the Company,® office, Hereford-street, where they may inspect samples of fibre produced from Canterbury grown straw which has ripened its seed, and which may bo compared with s collection of Home grown fibres ranging in price from £4O to £125 per ton. 1 think, sir, you will agree with me when 3 assert that it does not say much for our enterprise to be sending large sums of money out of the colony for binding twine, every pound of which should bu profitably produced by oursjlves. The acreage under corn this coining season, judging from the returns of the past, wib be approximately 700,000; assuming tha‘ one third of this will be lied with-Wire, we shall still require 416 tons of twin* (allowing 2lbs per acre). It is admitted that European flax fibre produces the best possible twine for this purpose. I quite aware that flax properly grown and manipulated with skill will produce fibre far too valuablejfor twino purposes; bu repared roughly as it is likely to be fo» some time to come, it will produce n splendid twine fibre ; result at least £5 ' per ton. I might enlarge on this subjeH. but your space will not admit of it. Iw* just say in conclusion that if. the Tanner* in your district will prepare for two three hundred acres or fltx, each o"sowing from three to ten acres 1 do v <■ advocate sowing large areas on any—choosing good clean land, and e’enn see I our Company will do its part in .forward ing not only all the necessary machinerr hut guarantee will he given for the pm chase of the crops, subject to conditii ns may be arranged.—Yours etc , . M. MURFHY. i; Hon. Canterbury Linseed, Oil, and FiLre Co., Christchurch.

Lovely Climes.—There are lovely dim - and places in which the evening zeph) ; , r e loaded with malaria and the poison • . fever and epidemics. To dwell there ri health is impossible without a supply < r Hop Bitters on hand. These Bitters impart an equalising strength to the system, and prevent the accumulation of dead / spores of contagion. .Be sure and iec,