OUR YORKSHIRE LETTER.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 634, 11 October 1909, Page 11

OUR YORKSHIRE LETTER.

:: SHEEP DIPS AND WOOL GROWING. \ : . :•.-."-.' , '.(From Our Special Correspondent.) :.' ■ ■•'■■■ : ' 'Bradford, August 27, ■ 1309.. .Wool buyers everywhere during the past five years havo shown increasing interest, in tho question of wool'growing,-tho Bradford Chanir be,' of Commerce—which is really .tho' mouthpiece of Uio big wool trado nr Worstodopolis— ■manifesting at times a good deal of.concern about tho staple being produced as perfect as possible.. Tho question of sheep dips nnd their relation to tho crowing staple is undoubtedlv a ; primary one for the sheep-breeder, but nfl the same it is ono that affects tho wool-user, for'a'spoiled wool fibre, to begin with, con never bo remedied in any subsequent manufacturing operation. I say unhesitatingly that Australia s example- in wool growing and sheep management can be followed .with absolute safety by. other sheep farmers in , the world, and what the pastornhsts of the Commonwealth! da. to-doy enn be adopted to-morrow by every other'pastoralist in'any ((uarter of tho globu. I-have often ■ wished that sheep farmers in South Africa- and the Argentine appreciated -their businesses do Australian squatters, and while some are undoubtedly- as enthusiastic, yet there aro sadly-too many who are indifferent to the: claims of .tho; wool, buyer,' and who, manifest carelessness in dipping their sheep. Sheep dipping is now being recognised i'as an ..absolute.- necessity -on all-stations, and. it is with the object .of f armors using the best S reparations that • will not ipjure ike fleece; iat causes mo to handlothis subject. , "

■:':;!:;: deleterious mixtures. . ■-. vWhat concerns the wool trade, tho most is tlie use of deleterious dipping mixtures, and , -. tie, rightful uso of .those. commodities which are:going to.leave;the growing fleece soft, supple, and bloomy..Unfortunately, both in South " Africa" and.the Argontine there are to-day being used such -objectionable. materials as caustic soda "and sulphur; , lime and sulphur; nnd to- - baccodips, all. of which .more • or lesa injure r- 4hi-. growing- fleece,; and which perhaps, unknown and undetected by the ..sneep farmer, lay the .foundation for future trouble when tho wool comes to'be scoured,- dyed, and the fabrics finished.. Tho writer holds no brief, for aiij , sheep dip manufacturer or sheep dip in! the world, his only concern being that nothing be deno to the growing, fleece that -will beget trouble later on.' , . During the past fortnight I ;have' had-' occasion to. : interview j.'spme • of. the Jargest wool buying and using firms in. tho world, including. combers, spinners, and manu-, facturers, and there has not beep a singio h&nso that dofended the use of the three sheen dips named. . Caustic soda, and lime'and sufiphur are strongly objected to on accoimt- of. ,thoir .searching;properties and:destroying efc foots upon'the wool fibre. Anyone'can-see that caustic soda arid linio are two powerful'agents which nro bound to have a perishing effect upon such a fine serrated fibro as wool, these two chemicals,stripping, as it were, the.outside of; the fibre,"'and : so rendering it weak and brittle. \ The reader may not perhaps, know; but .tho'outside. of the wool .fibro presents a sei-rated- appenrance'.jnst' like a fir.' cone, the fibre itself being composed of little .cells,- each' '.onn'df which protrudes'ion the outside of the. fibre. .'Now,- cnomicals,"like caustic soda and, lime, "have the - effect. of ! making,tho outside, shrink/ until' under the microscope it presents a .withored, fallen appearance, and , oven the -veriest novicß can. see that such a fibre can ho- more - produce a.: satisfactory ; fabric ' than, wool Irony dead sheep.. • Many'; years' of experience; in,, seeing, w001,,-througn..everyvstage, of 'munufaoturo has confirmed, tho fact- that .an .injured .wpol .fibre, trorn 'any cause - can: nover .produce goods of a'{. satisfactory-.- nature, for. gcod sound' fabrics:can only be; made from', .well.'grown,'healthy-wpol. ;;■ .i, ~:..;•' ». '; V '■ WHAT-.THE TRADE 'APPPvO.VES. ; "'. The of. sheep''dips -and ,thoir ; influence- upon! tho growing'.ileecd has got beyond the experimental ..stage, it now being' possible, with.comparativo;certainty and accuracy, to be able to state that -carefully ' and ■ well made 'arsenical-powder dips in no senso.injure the ■groivirig fleece, ibut are, on tho..other hand, : a direct benefit to the skin of the'animal. The) .writer.; has probably spent more money in exiperime'nts..op -this head; than any, one else in tho world, and, after thoroughly examining and testing , whole 'fleeces .which have been? flock dipped, , I- am> satisfied that, (sheep that havQ been dipped.either in a,carbolic or arsenical .powder-,aip\have' ; turnod;off; HepcejCJis perfect as .'wool'-can bo) grown. ~ This ,, "cannot bo said with absolute certainty where caustic soda, lime, and'sulphur,' Or tobacco 'dips have; been used;. ;■:.;..=..-;,;.; -,-....;, ..;;,,.. •'.,.■•:"■• ;■ . One learns with feelings of regret tliat'the is again ■ the benefit of using an arsenical -pow-■der.-dip comes-in,..and. is seen -,-jibp.vc. every other-class , 'of 'dip'! on-, the, market.; I have" alwnys. maintainetj that.tho fleeco of tho.'ani; mal■'■ should' have' about it' some self-protection in; order'that : wjieh:" struck -with" fly, the eggs of the maggot will,not hatch out, and.nothing makes tho fleece more imraune.'from .this curse than, when dipped4h a good , nrsonical r powdei! dip. ■■;:■;::y ;;: .■;■;.;«; -.- -. ; -5-:-; ;,:■;:. . . .-:.■ I

There is. no doubt tliat rainy -wool-Rrowers ■prejeri-tho.-use, of ;a-good carbolic dip, : because it soon-makes short ■'•'■work--, of all parasitical life..on''.the sheep. vSo.--.far so. good. Experience ' has found ; that this, class.of. preparation does' not,contain the lasting -, properties of a good powder dip, hence it;is-practically of no use in affording; the: shoep.-any' selfrprotectioa -beainst further. Bttacks'-of the--maggot .-"ify.- , - 'It has .always.,appeared to .pie;.hardly--- worth"-, tho trohWe; and.expense.:of^shnep-farmors dipping a-flock in a carbolic 1 dip, when, with nractic- .. ally '.the same. exporise; ' a-: good ■ powder dip .could-. , :be••■■•rised. with infinitely : moro lasting property about it: ■:That, 1 of 'coiirsif, is a question for wool-growers to consider; my only desire being to make the 'sheep's life .jblo as possible, t nnd so'givo it a,fair chnnco ;to..prortuc9:the.bcst and:.most r saleable fleece possible.,! havo Rcoured, -dyed, I nnd had finished r some of' the most delicate fabrics made ( ro H-. -Australia's finest: rnrrino wdol that had been dipped -.-in' a good' powder 'dii),Yahd in no single operation was tbero. any deficiency seen, working perfectly from first to last "•■ .Uhen, .again, the. highest-priced wools,..both in Australian and..- London markets, ' havo al-•ways-.-beDn- dipped in a good proprietary - dip of tho arsenical order,v this being, ,1 say, the hall, ..mark. that • tho wool . was'. perfectly .grown. Aboyeall, I would.say, cease using lime and. snlphnr-:nnu caustic'soda,;thoVlast-nanied, if_strong enough,- being of itself sufficient to soften to;o. jolly,a' staple of wool. . Urndford ,and ; the. entire .wool world could never undovstand , why.such a highly■ dangerous commodih as caustic, soda should .be recommended for use as_tt sheep dip; and to put such a chemical into the of ;sheep.farmers is littlo better than putting , hro into tho hands of a child toL S!l S nB, Mind ■ not eei: burned." .When there!. are-: wcll-mado. arsenical, powder dips- on the market, that will cure scab, and :help,;tp.- 8tow : - a perfect., fleece, it-certainly seems absurd - to : use ; such \ dangerous ingredieitsas we. have referred, to.: ::.. . r : ':}-' V GOOD, SOUND'CONDiriONSr" ■■>.-/■/'. in.Bradford are"very sound,- andthore ls.proceedingsumcient business to sKoiv toat- everything liTresting lupon, &■ arm toundation. business this wees : is hardly tb active as last, but, all the -same there is a nice weiirht of sales which, indicate that topniakors are willing to sell if they can command what they are asking. unwilling to, quote ioi delivery tms side of next January,' a clear proof that;tney are committed to some big sales of tops... -Tne .-6ntsta^ding. : feature - of ■ to-day's market is an eager;.desire : ttf. buy : the ■ raw material, atid.it is - certain! that thore will now be a romping series in loiidon.:. next-month -tho activity lof the present, holiday neriod seS.' ing some largo ; sales of wool, tops, and yarns. : The present..long vocation' is givin« importers the opportunity of getting rid of all their stocks betoro the arrival of tho next AustraUan new clip, and although tho prospect of hying. to: buy m wool' at' today's high level of values is not liked, still there is at present little prospect of lower prices, although these are ardently desired. r-It ■ is certain that tho situation cannot, be" gambled-'with," and ' at present nobody is disposed to take undue risks Good super. CO's tops,are being :quofed. by the majority at 27d., and it has been made in many cases..- Jit the same time 'spinners are not paving e it: at all freely,, preferring to uso. up-m preference/to .buying forward at all-heavily , All machinery is running to its utmost capacity. There is still proceeding plenty, of in--quuy, offers are being freely made, but tho extrciiio.firmness of sellers prevents a bigbusi'ness being done,' the : majority having com-' mitted themselves to enough contracts until tho opportunity is afforded thorn of securing largo weights of raw.wool.' Crossbreds p.ro very firm and nnything .nbove 46's is selling fairly irell There is nothing like the activity thore was iii coarse descriptions, though. this weok somo ■large lines of 46's carded tops havo been sold There is hero considerable: seeking of the raw material, and inrjnirip.s aro-numerous in London for medium qualities of wool..''There is a very healthy and confident feeling, nnd given an improvement in the , weather wo shall see n full maintenance of the. sound manufacturing conditions which at present obtain. l.Mohair isquiet, but steady and firm The.businessidoing is only hand-to-mouth, arid Turkey is still the most favoured article, Capo firsts being.very slow of sale.' -■ . ' . :