YORKSHIRE LTTER.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1136, 25 May 1911, Page 10

YORKSHIRE LTTER.

SOIIANGE lUVKK COLONY WOOLS. (From Our Special Correspondent.) Bradford, April It, 1911. At the recent series .of London sales there was offered the finest show of wools from the Orange I'.iver Stale that has ever yet come to London and great interest was manifest in the farmers' clips. .Many of them had been very well got up, and" competition was better than I have seen for many a long day. I. am certain that South Africa as a whole has made rapid .stride- during the past two years in "wool production, and buyers liave in no sense failed to appreciate tho efforts which are being mado to produce something really good. 1 have said for a long time that sheep-farmers in the Orange River Colony have been in the van in the production of wool, and what they are doing is certainly meeting with the approbation of the trade at this end. I have known South African wools for over 20 years, and have followed with great interest lho vicissitudes of the wool trade of that part of Great Britain's domain. There have always been a few who took a pride 111 their clips, and produced a satisfactory staple, but unfortunately they were tho exception and not the rule, and even today, notwithstanding the advance which has been made, there is yet room for a vast improvement by the rank and file of wool-growers. At tho same time a Special word of praise is due to the farmers of the Orange River Colony for stepping out and manifesting a determination to rise to tho occasion. No better thing could possibly have been done than the importation of thousands of stud stock from Australia, and the new blood is undoubtedly telling for good upon the character of the wools which are at present being produced. L"p to lid. was paid at the recent series of auctions for the best dins, and although this may seem but an average price in the eyes of Australian pastoralists, still lOtl. and lid. cannot be despised lor .South African wool«. I am satisfied that no section of South Africa will ever produce wool equal to some of the magnificent clips which are grown in South Australia, Victoria, Now South AAales and Queensland, but when condition is taken into consideration the. Cape Orange River Colony, Transvaal, and Natal can grow a von- acceptable staple, and which probably will give as good a return per sheep as the rank and file flocks ot Australia. It is quite right getting a big price per lb. for a little lot of super combing from sheep which aio cutting light-grown fleeces, but what a grower wants above everything else is a good average all through, that principle telling its tale the best in the long run. There are one or two points which are well worth mentioning, and which arc applicable to wool growing both in Australia, South Africa, and the River Plate, in fact, everywhere where sheep are kept. I have repeatedly scon it asked in tho public press, besides having many letters from South African correspondents, the reason whv Australian merinos fetch pence per 'lb. more than South African wools of tho same quality. I am certain that upon this head many misconceptions prevail. It is all right enough to speak about West A'ictorian grease wools commanding, say, 16d. per lb. and the best Cape wools only lid. On paper the stl. difference looks a lot, and makes one think that there is something radically wrong with the latter. It is here that several South African pastoralists are committing a fatal error, or rather an error of ignorance. If 1 could possibly put before the reader say a pound sample of South African wool alongside ono from •AVcst Victoria, ho would see at ouce the reason for the difference in price. Tho AA'est. A'ictorian parcel will probably give a clean yield of 54 to 55 per cent., while the South African sample will probably give more like 45 to 46 per cent. The former will be suitable for the American trade, whero on account of light, shrinkage a buyer can. afford to pay oftentimes at, least Id. per lb.'more than can tho Home trade. These will also bo a better length, and softer to handle, in fact, the character of the A'ictorian clip will be altogether higher than that of the South African staple. I unhesitatingly say again, quality for quality, and condition for condition, South African wool will to-day sell at the samo price as the rank and file clips from Australia. The bulk" of the wools grown in the Commonwealth are not fetching above lOd. to lljd. per lb., while a clip making say from 12d. to 16d. has something about it of a superior character which I don't think can ever bo got in any quarter of South Afrjca.

«■ i am , gad to ,JD al) '-° to sav that the ideal of the South African sheep farmer is a very different one to 10 years ago, and the progressive measures which havo been taken in the Orange River Colony are meeting with the approval of buyers at this end.' AVhat the trade objects to is.a continuance of the obsolete methods of wool-growing and lho get-up for market of the wool which has so long l»en in vogue in South \frica and to find fanners rolling in their flcces' britch, skirt, and heavy bellies is what wi.l never meet with the approval of anyone. More skirting is being done today in South Africa than formerly, and yet there is room for improvement. No doubt timo will still see further developments upon this head, and I am certain tiia t more people to-day are prepared to buy Cape wools. During tho past few months there has been a. great demand for tape tops, and oftentimes they have sold at -3d. to Id. more than Australian tops, of the same quality, due entirely to then- fine spinning quality. AVhat the trade is the most concerned about at this end is the production of a good line of wool, and if the condition is not up to that of Australian wool that doesn't matter a great deal, providing we have a twelve-months' grown staple, and the fleeces arc .prepared for market in a busi-ness-like wav.

MERINOS STILL MOUNTING. Tho market during the past week has continued to show signs: of improvement, and there is no gainsaying the fact that things are better. For three weeks in succession I have had to advise advancing prices, and when I say that Gl's Australian and Cape tops, which could bo bought at 25! d. a month ago, are to-day standing firm at 27(1., and in many cases 27Jd. and 271 d., the reader can see that tho rise lias been sharp. Many seem to think that the advance is a little too quick, and that the' business dono has been a little beyond reason. I said during the course of the last London sales that some speculative buying was being indulged in, and I am more convinced than ever of that fact. The same line of

action has been seen during the nnst three weeks, all because of a growing" belief that prices for both merinos and crossbreds are going to be no lower this side of next October. The active markets that we have seen are the direct outcome of a general feeling of confidence which is everywhere manifest. The temerity, lethargy, and fear which was'so much in evidence in January and February, has completely gone, and to-day there is n. healthy optimism which is indeed highly creditable. Here we have the prime cause far the past week's activity, tonmakcrs having done so well as to raise their price another. Jd. to Id. I don't think in many eases more than'27(l. has been actually made for a good fit's top. but to-day many firms are demanding 27] d. and .271<1., anil if the experience of the past, few weeks counts for anything, it will be sopn that what are! asking prices to-day will actually bo sale prices next week. This continued activity in tops' is largely the outcome of further important yarn sales, it being noteworthy that Home manufacturers have placed contracts and bought

largely for future requirements. In addition to large transactions en Home account, export yarn houses have also bought on a most liberal scale, indeed Bradford spinners have now sufficient orders on their books to see every spindle fully nin to the end of the year, providing "particulars" come in at all freely. POSITION OF CROSSBREDS. What remarks have been made respecting merinos can also be applied to ercssbreds. This week has again seen placed considerable new business in practically all qualities of crossbreds, fine descriptions being bought freely by the hosiery trade, medium carded sorts on export account, while coarse descriptions have also sold largely both on Home ami export account. AVe are satisfied that the sales effected have been largely inspired by the knowledge that the trade is going to be supplied with less crossbred wool than expected from New Zealand. In Dalgoty's monthly particulars, which were published last" Saturday, tlicy show a decrease of 25,000 bales in the exports from tho Dominion, while there is very little likelihood of Ihe River Plate exceeding its export of last year-