APPENDIX TO SECOND REPORT

G.-No. 4a,

12

U. —Ciiemistby of Phobmittm Te>*a±. Repoet by Aethtje Hebbeet Chtjech, M.A., Oxon, Fellow of the Chemical Society of London, and Professor of Chemistry in the Eoyal Agricultural College at Cirencester, England.—July, 1871. Contents. § 1.—General Conclusions ... ... ... § 7. —Oil or fat in fibres g 2.—Water in prepared fibres ... ... ... § 8.—Absorption of sea water by fibres ... §3. —Ash in prepared fibres ... ... ... § 9. —Absorption of tar by fibres ... .„ jj 4,—CelluBOse, &c, in fibres ... ... ... § 10.—Complete analysis of a sample of prepared § 5.—Action of Water on fibres ... .... fibre ... ... ... ... ' ... § 6. —Nitrogenous matters (Albuminoids)... ... § 11.—Analysis of fresh plant of phormium tenax ... § 1.—Geneeal Conclusions. Prom the results of the Chemical studies which I have made of the Phormium tenax, I conclude— 1. That the best and.strongest prepared Phormium fibres are those which, while fulfilling the requisite physical conditions and the'microscopic conditions determined by Dr. M'Nab, contain the smallest quantity of mineral matter and the largest quantity of hygroscopic water. 2. That the age or stage of development of the fibre has much to do with its chemical deportment, and with its strength; and that a considerable portion of the fibre in the leaf must be condemned, both on miscroscopical and chemical grounds, as of very small value. 3. That Phormium fibres are more easily and more considerably affected by chemical reagents and by water at the boiling point, and at higher temperatures, than most other fibres used for fabrics, ropes, &c. 4. That Phormium fibres are very readily wetted by water and by sea-water, and that this wetting takes place to a small extent even after the fibres have absorbed a considerable amount of wood tar. The misroscopic structure of the fibre serves to explain this observation. 5. That the fact stated in (4) above, taken in connection with the observation that Phdrmium fibres contain much matter soluble in water or liable to change, helps to account for the decay of ropes made with this material. 6. That the use of a mixture of lubricating, or machinery parafline oil with wood tar seems to prevent the entrance of sea water and the proneness to change in Phormium fibre. It is also suggested that as the conversion of Phormium fibres into papyrine, by a brief immersion in sulphuric acid, of the strength used in the manufacture of vegetable parchment, seems to toughen, strengthen, and waterproof them ; this process might be made use of to improve inferior samples of fibre. 7. That the ultimate fibres are not held together by any cement, but by their cell-walls. These, however, being easily affected bv various agencies, are, together with other changeable constituents of the material, a cause of disintegration and weakness. 8. That the treatment of the plant of Phormium, or of its fibre with alkaline matters, especially at a high temperature, may, by removing tho oil, tend to cause the harshness shown by some fibres and otherwise injure them. 9. That the use of the softest water, of a well regulated temperature, and of effective yet uniformly exerted mechanical power, seems to be of importance in the preparation of Phormium, fibre. The relative value of different processes of treatment and bleaching did not come within the scope of the present preliminary inquiry, but could be ascertained with much greater ease than before, through the data given in the present report. Analysis op Fibbe of Phobmitjm Tenax. § 2. Seeies I. —Determinations of moisture or Hygroscopic water in certain samples of prepared Fibre described in Progress Report, page 20, (App. I., p. 3). Native Dressed. Per centage of water. No. 1. Harakeke, selected 12 to 18 months old, stripped, scraped, and washed ... ... ... ... ... ... 12-76 No. 2. The same, but not washed ... ... ... ... ll-87 No. 3. From same plants as 1 and 2, but from the opposite side of leaf ... 11"15 No. 5. Common swamp flax from Otaki, stripped, but not washed or scraped ... ... ... ... ... ... 1O77 No. 6. Same as No. 5, but hand hackled ... ... ... 11-05 No. 7. From the Waikato, Native dressed ... ... ... ll-52