The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1866-07-19
Miscellaneous Selections.


New ZEALAND FLAx.-The Secreta-
~ Of the Interior recently received from
fibre and twine manufactured from the
native New Zealand grass. The -wri-
ter believed that the grass would flour
ish in our Middle and Southern States,
and stated that by a new and original
process cloth OF rope of great strength
and durability is now being manntac-
tured to a limited extent. The writer
also forwarded beautiful specimen of
the fibre of the U1tico Nivea, native
China grass, the fibre of which is as
white as cotton and of greater length
and toughness. The fibre is manutac-
tured by a process discovered by Colo
mel Edward Nicolle, who has spent
many years in the study and investiga-
ton of such matters. The experiments
by Colonel Nicolle in the cultivation
and manufacture of the plants enable
him to state with certainty that the
yield of China grass per acre is us great
as luzerne, or about forty tons of green
matter, of which eighteen tons yield one
ton of fibre, and that the New Zealand
grass or flax will produce on an aver
age forty tons of green matter per acre,
of which five tons yield a ton ofexcellent
hemp, or eight tons OF hemp to the acre.
The great value of Colonel Nicolle's
discovery, which consists in separating
the gums, &c, by a chemical process,
setting free the fibre, and thus introduce
ing into commerce new and improved
specimens of hempen goods, has been
recognized by the French Fovernment,
which has granted him patent for the
cultivation of the plants and the manu-
facture of goods in France. Under
this patent he has introduced the culti-
vation of the plants into that country
on a small scale, which will, however,
be rapidly extended, as the soil and eli
mate of fseveral departments are admlra-
bly, adapted to their growth.
The plants attained great perfection IN
in the climate of Jersey, which is SINH
lar to that of Maryland, and the expert
ments made at Colonel Nicolle's estab-
lishment at that place have concluslvely
shown that the New Zealand grass
Yields cloth and rope of much greater
strength and durability than the hemps
of Russia and America. The eXperl-
ments were conducted in the presence
of many scientific officers and gentle
men, and they were regarded as so sat
isfactory, and the commercial value OF
the manufacturing process so great, that
a company was Immediately formed,
and an agent despatched to New Zeal
and with suitable machinery for carry
ing out the enterprise. The corpora
ton works on that island are now III
successful operation. 1t is stated that
the profits on the cultivation OF these
plants will amount to nearly $500 to
the acre. Colonel Nicolle furnished a
quantity of seed for transmission to
this country, believing that the plants
will flourish here, and that the subject is
well worth the attention of the Govern
ment as tending to the interests OF ag-
| riculture.
THE New BRrTIsH MINISTRY.
following are we have reason to believe
the arrangements for the new or next
government, so far as yet made:
First Lord of the Treasury-Earl of
Derby.
Chancellor of the Exchequer-ZIr.
Disraeli.
Foreign Secretary--Lord Stanley.
Home Secretary-Mr. Gathorne Har
dy.
Colonial Secretary-Lord Cranbone.
Secretary for India-Mr. Adderley.
Minister at War-Gen Peel.
First Lord of the Admiralty-Sir J.
Pacingiton.
Lord High Chancellor-Lord Chelms-
ford.
Lord Lieutenant of Ireland-Lord
Malmesbury.
Lord Chancellor of Ireland-Mr
Whiteside.
Under Secretary of War-Earl of
Longford.
Attorney-General-S III. Cairns.
| Solicitor-General- Bovill.
Board of Works-Lord John Man
ners.
Postmaster-General-Lord Colches-
The Duke of Richmond, it is under
stood. was offered and declined the
Lord Lieutenancy of Ireland. Sir e. L.
Bulwer Lytton is to be made a peer
Mr.. Walpole is not to be in Office.
Chief Baron Pollock will resign, and
make way for Sir Fitzroy Kelly. In
Scotland it is expected that MIR. George
Patton will be Lord Advocate and Mr..
p. S. Goadon, Solicitor General.--Scot-
man.
FERN SEEDs.-It is an old notion of
naturalists thai ferns produce no seed
that is visible. And this idea OF the
seed being invisible was carried out into
the idea that if any such thing could be
procured, it would render him who
wrote it also invisible. Shakespeare
makes one of his characters In Henry
". saw. {" we have the recipe of fern
seed. we walk invisible And Ben
johnson says, " had no medicine, Sir,
to 90 invisible no fern seed in my pock-
et." We have seen, however, that the
fern does bear seed in immense quanti-
ties, and that ample provision has been
made in the structure Of the plant, for
dispensing, as well as preserving the
seed from injury during its progress to
maturity.-Horticet1turist.
II