G.*No. 4,

APPENDIX TO REPOET OF

84

precipitated by basic acetate of lead, chloride of tin, and by nitrate of mercury, but is not affected by neutral acetate of lead. These reactons show that it is unlike any gum or mucilage hitherto known but that it has properties intermediate to both. As it occurs only on the outside of the leaves it is easily removed by mechanical means, and does not give the slightest trouble in the present method of preparing the fibre. bittee pbincipal and mucilage. These are contained in the cells of the leaf, along with chlorophyll, Ac. It is well known that all parts of the flax leaf have an intensely bitter taste ; and when a bruised leave or broken tissue, knocked off by the machine, is placed in water, this bitter principal is dissolved out, leaving little in the cells but chlorophyll, or the green colouring matter. The solution is brown and turbid, but when filtered is of a deep claret colour, and with a slight acid reaction. On evaporation it yields a thick reddish-brown sticky gum, of bitter taste, and readily soluble in cold water. That this solution contains little or no gum, similar to that found outside the leaf, is shown by its chemical reactions; for no change takes place on the addition of alcohol, neither does any precipitate fall when nitrate of mercury is added, but the solution is rendered turbid. On the addition of neutral acetate of lead, a large brown precipitate is formed, leaving the solution clear and almost colourless. It is also precipitated by chloride of tin, while the solution is left clear and golden yellow ; and also by basic acetate of lead. No change takes place on the addition of alkalies, but acids turn it yellow and slightly turbid. It is coloured black by oxide or chloride of iron, owing perhaps to its containing some tannin. These reactions show that this mucilage is essentially different from the gum. In its original state in the cells of the plant it is colourless, but on exposure to water or moisture it rapidly turns reddish-brown, and stains the fibre; it can, however, be entirely removed by soaking the fibre in running water for three or four hours. It must not be confounded with the red colouring matter found in the butts of some leaves, for the two are quite different, as I shall point out when discussing the advantages of soaking flax. The bitter principle might perhaps be used as a dye or stain for wood, for on allowing a strong solution to stand for some days, a brown insoluble substance falls to the bottom much in the same manner as indigo; and if it should prove of any value at all, the cheap rate at which it could be prepared at or near the mills ought to secure it an extensive sale. cement. The ultimate fibres are held together by a cement which is quite different from either of the foregoing. It is insoluble in cold water and acids, but dissolves slowly in boiling water, and more quickly in alkalies. Pure soaked fibre, when boiled for three hours in water, yields a perfectly clear pale yellow fluid, with an acid reaction but no bitter taste, and which on evaporation leaves a brownish gummy substance, which is insoluble in alcohol or acids, but dissolves readily in alkalies or cold water. This solution undergoes no change on the addition of alcohol, or of basic acetate of lead, acetate of lead, nitrate of mercury, chloride of zinc, or perchloride of iron. On the addition of chloride of tin, a pale yellow precipitate is formed, and the solution is left perfectly clear and colourless. Alkalies darken the tint of the solution, but acids bleach it. It is therefore evident that this cement differs entirely from either the gum or the mucilage, but these differences will probably be made clearer to you if I bring together the effects produced by some of the re-agents. Alcohol has no effect on the mucilage, or the cement, but turns a solution of gum white. Acids dissolve the gum, and turn the mucilage yellow. They do not dissolve the cement, but bleach it. Alkalies have no effect on the gum or the mucilage, but dissolve the cement and turn it yellow. Acetate of lead has no effect on the gum or the cement, but precipitates the mucilage brown. Nitrate of mercury has no effect on the cement, and only renders a solution of the mucilage turbid, but precipitates the gum yellow. We can now understand some of the results arrived at by Dr. Hector and Mr. W. Skey (Interim Beporton Flax), Appendix, p.p. 10-13), as for instance the action of alkalies on the fibre, which they showed always weakened it very much ; for although they have no effect on the gum they dissolve the cement which binds the ultimate fibres together, and so diminish their coherence; while acids, although they dissolve the gum, do not affect the cement, and therefore do not injure the strength of the fibre unless used in such quantities as to attack the ultimate fibres themselves, or the cement is dissolved by the boiling water. It will thus be seen that the strength of the fibrous bundles depends entirely upon the cement that holds the ultimate fibres together; and if this is dissolved, either by hot water or alkali, the whole would separate into a mass of fluff, with no coherence or strength, the fibres of which it was composed being half an inch in length. Having now, I hope, given you a tolerably clear idea of the structure of the fibre of New Zealand flax, and some knowledge of the gum, mucilage, and cement that are found in the leaf, I will next inquire what are the probable uses to which the fibre can be applied, or, in other words, will it be limited to the manufacture of rope and other articles where coarse fibres are used, or is it capable of being worked up into the finer textile fabrics ? I shall probably here be met with the statement that this is already proved, as cambrics and drills have been produced from Phormium which rivalled the finest flax in appearance, but at a cost that would not allow of its competing with the European article. Such I know has often been stated, but lam not at all satisfied with the truth of those statements. At the Dunedin Exhibition, in 1865, Mr. J. A. Smith, of Napier, exhibited " beautifully white cambric," " white twilled stuff for cavalry trousers," and " sewing thread," all stated to be made from Phormium fibre; and Mr. Murray, of Hull, quotes a Captain Harris that "it (Phormium) may be woven into fabrics of any description, and made into lace." Still, however, I am not satisfied, for some white drill sent to me by Mr. T. Macffarlane, who had received it from Mr. Luke Nattrass, of Nelson, and which was said to be made from Phormium, proved on examination to have been made from flax (Linum) or some very similar fibre.