YORKSHIRE LETTER.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1011, 29 December 1910, Page 8

YORKSHIRE LETTER.

* SOUTH .'AUSTRALIAN" WOOLS? TTIEIR j SPECIAL CIIAKACTJ2RISTICS. (From Our Own Correspondent.) Bradford, November IS, 1910$ .During recent years we have had son'ie carping criticism over the alleged fallingoff in quality of South Australian wcols, which has mostly emanated from French buyers, and which at times has called forth sopic rather derogatory remarks. I mix a great deal with Yorkshire consumers, and never during any scries of London sales nor in Bradford have I heard such strong words on the part of users in ths West Itiding. South Australian wools became popular about 25 years ago, and oue has to go back to tho old worsted coating days to find the beginning of the good times which Adelaide wools have since enjoyed. Of course, prices have, not always been where growers- would like them ro be, but there has always been forthcoming- as good a price lor the South Australian article as for any other wools on the market. A glance at the prices realised last Monday at Adelaide shows that over a shilling per pound has been paid in several cases, and taking things all round a very good sale indeed' must have been experienced. Some of the-well-known clips Jrom the Lower North were submitted, and these are among the best wools tor top-making purposes iu that State. I have had tue privilege of looking over some samples sent •'to a firm-here-out of'their purchases at the first Adelaide sale, .and all are agreed •that the clip, was never better_ grown ov founder in staple, though it is a little more yolky than last season. This is but the-natural result of sheep being on good •pastures all through ths year, for it is .well known that South Australia has had aif 'abundance of rain, with a consequent plentifulness of good feed. .Lot us tiiereifora look at some of the chief .characteristics which are to be found in-the wools 'of that' State.

GOOD COMBING WOOLS. One of .the outstanding features of Adelaide wools is their, sound combing property. The reader may .not know, but the question usually asked by a wool buyer ■ is/ What will it'tear? That is a most important matter which every topmaker must settle . for himself when he embarks Oil the mission of wool buying, and it is well . known thai so far as South Australian wools are concerned they "tear" ' uncommonly • well. As one bliint Torkshireiunn said not long ago when he was examining a lot of shafty, deep-grown Adelaide wools in London docks, "it is all pudding," simply meaning that the wool would nearly all go-inl'o'tops and little into noils. Somf'cliing that gives, a very good yield at the combing is ah item which all buyers appreciate, and this is a characteristic which is always manifest in South Australian produce, i have yet to learn of wool grown in any other part of Australia, or, for that matter, in any other -part of the world, that will yield such good results in combing. Of course, if tho wools are red, earlhy, and sandy, then the shrinkage may be correspondingly great, but a buyer must estimate to the best of his ability what, tho loss will bo 'when ho comes to value those. Even when such raw material .has been cleaii scoured,' the .wool will bo more shafty and- bulky than tho majority of clips grown in tho other States, ana it is thisi fact which leads me to say that, so far as combing property is concerned.there is .nothing to beat the clips grown in South Australia." Alter all, a spinner' or a topmaker wants something that will comb, and .without doubt tho produce of "this' State Will carry through a good deal "of shorter material and still produce a good spinning top. The writer could name more than one Bradford firm 'who use South Australian produco largely for improving their' blends. ' It is. all' right using necks, broken, pieces, and bellies for top-making, purposes, but.at the same timo if a man'wants a decent top he must use some good, sound fleece, and nothing "lifts" a blend of inferior wool so well as a bit of shafty, deep-grown comb : , ing'. . .

GOOD SPINNING PROPERTY. When wool is combed into tops, then follows the spinning operation, and here wool is tested in a very remarkable way., if tops are made out of somewhat tender wool, difficulty is encountered in the spinning process, and although South Australian wool will not spin to such line counts as the produco of. Now South Wales and Queensland,.yet it makes a very sound and usable yarn. I ani just now thinking of one firm of Bradford tonmalcers who have -made for themselves a. good name for -their -standard-super GO's; and which are ; often spoken of as ■being equal to a Bradford-fit's.: -'It is well known that into this; top'there is put a fair proportion of Adelaide ivool, and ;[ have heard manufacturers ' soy- that they can get better results in the finished .piece by using that ton than they can from aiiy other blend." All spinners alikp say that to the'eye the top is hardly so ,fine as some' makers' tops, but it nevertheless spins equally as well and gives firstclass results in tho'finished article-. Any practical man can account for this. Adelaide wool, when not combed, always appears somewhat b'.obby, but'in actual practice the top spins vc-rv well, and the final results will be equally as favourable as those obtained from tops that appear to be, and actually are, a shade finer. I have already said that the popularity of South Australian wool 'dates back to tho time when worsted coatings originated. What a boom there was In the 70's and SO's for these narticn.-u- fabrics. I well remember the time when worsted coatings came into vogue, aiul .when every man, woman, and child was dressed in . them. In those days the art of worsted sninning Was not so perfect as it is to-day j that is, spinners could not manipulate so effectively short tops. At that time they must have a gocd long,

warp top, and nothing served their purposo better tlmu South Australian wgols. Here the benefit ok' length of staple came in, and I om glad this characteristic remains strongly in evidence to-day. In some parts of Australia the- great cry lias been for density. Against that I have not a single word to say, except that where length has been unduly sac-* riliced in order to obtain a short thick ileece, then the breeder has been working upon wrong line?. There is being grown to-day an abundance of short-iibred wool among the Docks of New South "Wales and Queensland, and it will lie a huge mistake if South Australian squatters follow (he example of the growers in these two States. Of course, climate and pasturage have a good deal to do in deciding the characteristic of both sheep ami wool, but at the fame time Ihe gentle art of the breeder's skill tolls, in the selection of sheep for propagating future generations.- There have bseu times when I have thought and said that South Australian wool was a little too strong iu finality, and it is to-be hoped that the day is far distant when South Australian breeders will sacrifice length and go in for producing shorter wool.

QUESTION OF QUALITY. "We now come to deal with tho vexed question of quality, and what constitutes a proper standard for growth.' It is l exactly here that men's estimates vary, and if half-a-dozen buyers were consulted in all probability six different opinions would be expressed. It is quite true that wh.it one appreciates* the other dislikes. However, there is a broad prin- j ciple to work upon, and if wool-growers, | no matter in what part of the world they reside, will maintain a fair standard of quality in both merinos and crossbred?, that is all buyers require. Some people will call C-i's wool only 60's, and others" will designate the broad stapled, shafty Gn's Adelaide's as only ffi's. Both parties are right, just according to a man's standard of what constitutes good quality. A buyer may have a special trade which requires 'no finer wool than 60 s, therefore the raw material of that quality suits his purpose down to the ground. I could mention several epinners in the West Riding whose bulk trade is essentially GO's, and those spinners and

manufacturers are always- among the firms who give the best support to Adelaide wools. French buyers oftentimes pass them by as of no £ood, at least thev don't meet their special requirements, consequently they at times do not speak very kindly of tliQin, dubbing ihem rou« r h, strong, and devoid of quality. I think such a verdict just a little too strong, for it is a mistake on the part of any linn to pour ridiculc and scorn upon any wcol because it does not expressly suit their purpose. Every breeder ought to do his utmost to maintain a good standard. See that a fleee-a is as well grown as it cart be; give us a gcod leigth of -staple; let it be sound and shafty, and i! there is gocd quality then the grower can rest assured that his tlceces will always sell and command a full market price. The market to-day shows very little change compared with a week ago. Things perhaps are a shade more active, but with the sixth series of London sales i starting next Tuesday, all alike are now waiting to know what the verdict is going to be. An average amount of buying lias been done during the past week, flue to several spinners comiu# into the market. Topmnkers are fairly busy completing old contracts, and this week the first shipment of new wool from Adelaide's first sale is due in Bradford. Importing topmakers are just where they were a week ago, and it will liave to be a very superior article to command more than i 2s, 3d. for a standard 64's top.