. Memoirs of the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum of Polynesian Ethnology and Natural History. Natural history; Ethnology. 92 hhil (Did Basket IVtaTiitg. New Zealand Kete.—Tlie .so-called "flax" of New Zealand {Phorfuinw ienax P'orst:., native liarakakr) is one of tlie most iinportaiit coniiiiercial fd)res of the Pacific region. This liliaceous plant, of wliicli tlie observant old Maori distinguislied fifty or sixty x'aricties, and ilie botanists note two species, grows wild over a vast extent of niarsbv land in New Zealand, and the traveler tlirongli tlic North Island sees the plant wit
. Memoirs of the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum of Polynesian Ethnology and Natural History. Natural history; Ethnology. 92 hhil (Did Basket IVtaTiitg. New Zealand Kete.—Tlie .so-called "flax" of New Zealand {Phorfuinw ienax P'orst:., native liarakakr) is one of tlie most iinportaiit coniiiiercial fd)res of the Pacific region. This liliaceous plant, of wliicli tlie observant old Maori distinguislied fifty or sixty x'aricties, and ilie botanists note two species, grows wild over a vast extent of niarsbv land in New Zealand, and the traveler tlirongli tlic North Island sees the plant with its tall flower sicnis on ever}- side. Indeed on landing at Anckland one sees bale upon bale of the attrac^Hve looking fibre awaiting s1ii})nient. It is iinneeessarv here to go into the conjniercial preparation of the fibre for several full accounts of this are accessible,'"" and we need only ])reseiit some of the {?jrodiit^s made from this raw material in the line of onr present stud}-. Ivapa or bark cloth made of felted fibre was useless in the cool and wet climate of New Zealand, and tlie I^ijl^niesian immigrants must socm have de- vised a WTyv to utilize a tibrc as beautiful as it is tenacious and durable. It is often stated in books on New Zealand that no implement or machine can, eleaji the filjre witfi the perfection of that very prinii- ti\^e tool a Maori thnnd)nail, and wdiile this is true in a. sei]se it must be acknowledged that modern maeliinery certainly turns ont a ver}' fine product. It would be very interesting to go more fnll_v into an examination of the weaving oi the wonderful cloaks, of wliicli extraordinary are in this and otiier mir^^eums, Imt this has been well done b}' Mr. Hajnilton, now DireAor of the Wellington Museum (//¥'. r//., p. 27y), and his illustrations show the perfeftion to wliicli the nati\"c mannfat^nre attained. There was no loom, but tlie pegs {luntiiiru-parawai) wliich held the welj for the webster during w
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, books, booksubjectnaturalhistory
