Phormium tenax—New Zealand flax.—Endogen; leaves 3-10 ft. This plant is a native of New Zealand, occurring as far south as lat. 46° 30 S., also in Chatham's Islands and Norfolk Island, but not in Lord Howe's Island. It would probably thrive and become naturalized in the Auckland and Campbell's group, in Ifferguelen's Land, and the Falklands. Large quantities of it are found in the mallee scrub of the Lachlan Plains in S. Australia, the leaves being 3-4 ft. long, and 1-2 in. broad; it doubtless occurs in many other parts of the Australian continent. In the Azores, St. Helena, Algiers, and S. France, it has been easily naturalized, and thrives well. In the Scilly Islands, it is largely planted to resist encroachments of the sea. Dr. W. Traill has most successfully cultivated the plant in North Ronaldshay, Orkney, and strongly recommends it to be grown on waste lands bordering the sea, raising the plants from seed in a hotbed, and trans planting when 6 in. high ; about 8 years are required for the plants to attain maturity in snob a position, but they render a double service. It has been proposed to introduce the plant in the Mississippi Valley, and other continental localities, bat it prefers insular positions and coast lands. It might be brought under culture on inferior waste land, sea-beaches, and rocky declivities, not only in Australia, but in all climates where the winters are not too severe for it. In the south of New Zealand, It Is never found far from the Rea, nor at a great elevation; in the Northern Island, also, it is most abundant and best grown near the coast, but is also found abundantly in the interior up to 2000 ft.
It is essential to recognize the existence of several distinct kinds of the plant—whether species or mere varieties has not been decided,—as the fibre produced by them exhibits considerable differences. The chief sorts are :—(1) "Common Swamp" or Harakehe : grows almost everywhero, but attains its largest size (14-15 ft.) in rich alluvial soil, on river banks ; its leaves are coarse, and afford a large yield of coarse fibre. (2) " Yellow Hill " or Paretaniwha : grows generally on clay hills, and ie seldom more than 5-6 ft. high ; its fibre is very good—soft and glossy, yet strong. (3) Tihore : grows in rich alluvial land which is dry, never in swampy places, and is rarely more than 6 ft. high ; its fibre resembles No. 2, which is often mistaken for it ; it seems to occur only where planted. The kinds growing on high and dry lands, though smaller, afford a much finer fibre, and are far more easily stripped, than the swamp-frequenting plants. The other species or varieties are so inferior in fibre-yielding qualities as not to be worth cultivation.
Cultivation of the Plant.—The chief climatic conditions having been referred to above, the culti vation may be discussed under the following heads :— Soil.—The plant will grow in almost any soil, but the quality of the fibre depends almost entirely
upon the degree in which the soil is favourable. The plant luxuriates in riot', moist, well-drained ground, and reaches its greatest sizo on the banks of running streams, where the roots are abundantly nourished by water that never stagnates around them. A rich, dry, but not deep, clay soil, with a yellow clay subsoil, favoured with plenty of light and air, but sheltered from the wind, is very suitable. Heavy crops also are raised on high-lying volcanic soil ; and well-drained swamps give large returns. Stagnant marshes are prejudioial, but when drained and sweetened, without being made too dry, the plant assumes a vigorous growth. Most of the so-called " flax-swamps " have merely a margin of phormium plants around the edge.
Drainage and Tillage.—Where drainage is necessary, it should be effected by open trenches, dug sufficiently deep to keep the water about 12 in. below the surface. If the land becomes very dry in summer, the drains may be temporarily stopped, so as to irrigate the soil, for though the plant will not tolerate stagnant water, nothing conduces more to its rapid growth than occasional inun dation. Reclaimed swamp should be ploughed ae soon as it is dry enough, and be allowed to lie during the summer, or till March (in New Zealand), when it should be again ploughed, and immediately planted. Alluvial soil also should be ploughed in winter or spring, and left to dry till autumn, then be again ploughed, and planted, say in March-April, or when the autumn rains fall, the earlier the better, as the plants make root during the winter, and are ready for vigorous growth by the spring.
Planting.—Experiments in raising plants from seed prove that the rate of growth of the plant in its earlier stages is exceedingly slow, and that the seedlings do not inherit the characteristics of the plants whence the seed was derived. Consequently the only certain method of maintaining varieties, and the most rapid plan of commencing a plantation, is by subdivision of the root. Planting is done in rows. The distance generally recommended is 6 ft. between the rows and between the plants; but a mono suitable space probably would be 4 ft. between the rows, and 3 ft. between the plants, as the plants would then afford each other shelter, and the drawing up of the leaves would produce finer fibre. Much economy of soil is thus effected, and the extra impoverish ment of the land may be prevented by manuring. Another plan is to place 10-12 rows in close proximity, and then to have a road space of 10-12 ft., to facilitate gathering the leaves. An acre set out at 6 ft. each way will contain about 1000 plants ; at 4 ft. by 3 ft., about more plants will be needed.