YORKSHIRE LETTER.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1350, 30 January 1912, Page 9

YORKSHIRE LETTER.

SOME ITEMS OF INTEREST AND IMPORTANCE. (From Our Special Correspondent.) Bradford, December 22, 1911. During the course of the recent London sales, there was held at the Agricultural Hall, Islington, the annual exhibition of fat stock in connection with the Smithfield Club. Along with a South Australian we "did" the show, and a very good exiiibit it was. Of course, they w 'p r ® fat sheep and cattle, and some ot England's choicest stocks were to be seen ready for tho butcher. The breed cup tor Leicesters or Border Leicesters went to Mrs. K. Perry Herrick, of Loughborough, for lambs, and she also held the reserve badge for sheep. In Lincolns, tho principal exhibitors were Messrs - . .J. It. Dean and Sons, of Nocton, Lincolnshire, who carried all before them, their cupwinmng pen of wether slioep being very fine specimens of tho breed. The Hampshire Downs produced good competition, the cup going to Mr. H. C. Stephens, of Salisbury, for lambs, against sixteen competing pens. With regard to the Shropshire*, .Mr. Frank Bibby's winning pen of sheep was good, but there were only three exhibitors in tho two classes. Only one prize was awarded for lambs. Mr. •'allies T. Ifobbs took both first prize and the cup for Oxford Downs, with a fair amount", of competition. Ihere was a/good deal of interest in the crossbred classss, of which there were a "d hero Mr. CI. 11. Long, of Great J.-i' am ' Cambs., was a prominent exhibitor, as he was at Norwich, though lie aid not meet with a large amount of success. He had the satisfaction of<sccing Ins pen of lambs from Welsh ewes by a . outhdowii ram take a better place than they did atNorwich, but they were beaten lor first prize in their class by n Leicester and Cheviot cross from over (he. Border, the owner of which pen, Mr. John juuowall, took in all four prir.es with tile same cross. Mr. .lames Toop, of Chichester, won two firsts and a second with his Southdown Hampshire cross, and ii • i • Hall, of Newmarket, came in y it i ln a ;lss f°r wether lambs with ■ outhdown and Suffolk cross, being highly commended for another pen. Jn the long-wool championship, tho coveted prize was won by Messrs. .1. 11. can and Sons, of Nocton, Lincolnshire, i a P GLI three fat wether sheep, nearly „2 months old, which had won in r™ H, S ' 1 secured the cup offered l?n, e -breed. * Tho - v ,ve W'«l Scwt. 2qr. < -'" L of six entries of l.mW' wn T" H " Uran aml Nins won four prizes, two firsts, a nri™ n , last-mentionccl l g r ' Iflmbs > 1,1 whi «' l tlieV were beaten for second place by Mr. \V. Jj. Swallow, of Lincolnshire. The loll" nf il s , l*I c a , S tro,ls lot > though a pen black-taced Scotch sheep ran tho winners rather close. Two of the Sheep in this pen were good, but were let down by the third. As alroadv stated, the snort wool championship "was won by Mr. D. M Calmont. These sheep were very ripe with grand backs and a good match; moreover, they were shown at their very host. Mr. Smith's reserve pen contained-a beautiful trio of Sitftolk sheep, and although the judges had no hesitation in giving principal honours to Soulhdowns, they greatly admiral t l ° Siiflolks.. They were better in the length than has been seen for many years. They were a grand pen of butclisllce P with perfect flesh and very little waste. Compared with the Southdowns, however, they showed their individual characteristics in a greater proportionate length in the leg. These sheen•showed a very great improvement in their logs of mutton; they were bettor developed. A pen of Shropshiros came next, being of good weight, but not quite so uniform. The Hampshire Downs were not quite "finished" on the back, but were otherwise very good sheep. These were the onlv lambs leftill for the championship, all the others being slie>ep. The judging for the Princo of Wales's championship of the show was watched with great interest, and the decision'was keenly looked for by many ardent disciples of the three rival breeds, Southdown, Suffolk, and Lincoln. There was no hesitation on the p.art of the judges, who found merits in the representative pens'in inverse proportion to the sizo of tlie animals. Mr. M'Calmont was awarded the cup, with Mr. Herbert Smith reservt. HOLIDAY INFLUENCES AT WORK. Owing to tho approach of' the Christmas holidays the business of the week has been confined to supplying tho urgent'requirements of users, and on the wholo tlie situation remains unchanged. It is some satisfaction to know that the wool recently purchased ■ in Coleman Street has l»en called for at an accelerated speed to what has been seen during the two previous series, for it is a wellknown fact that' immediately after the July and September auctions ,a fair weight of wool'remained in the warehouses many weeks ■ after the lots had been knocked down. Of course, the raw material was all taken up by tlie end of October, when it was urgently required, and wlien stocks in topmakers' hands were small. During the recent auctions topmakers gave instructions for delivery in very many instances the same night the wool was secured, the result being that thero has been a larger movement of tho rawmaterial (luring the past fortnight than we have seen during tho four months. Surely this indicates that in consuming centres stocks are none too plentiful; in fact, we know they are not. The situation shows that all new arrivals are beiijg pushed forward at express speed to consuming centres, and it is to be hoped that that state of affairs will continue for many months to come. So long as wool, tops, and yarns continue to go out., nothing serious can happen to values. It is always when stocks begin to accumulate that prices begin to suiter. There is every prospect l that for some time to coinc all direct imports will lontinue to move forward at a commendable rate, for topmakers assert that they are quite ready for the raw material, and I know that Bradford woolcombnrs have already promises of an adequate supply which will keep them running for many months to come. All topmakers are busy, running day and night, it being only in low preparing sorts where more business could be done. MERINOS STEADY. As already said, no new feature is in evidence. There is just sufficient business passing by way of top sales to keep prices steady, and the fact that the sales in Australia finished at the highest point prevents topmakers from accepting any less. Some of the Continental circulars stated last week that Melbourne prices, except for very superior sorts, declined nbout per cent., these remarks referring to topmakers' wools. All tho same, the raw fibre is still well in front of the combed article, it being ii well-known fact that it is yet possible to buy an averago Bradford 6i's top for next March and April delivery at 25d., though a' big firm at Laistrerdyke is unwilling to accept a fraction less than 253 d. If all topmakers stood out in Worstedopolis for a price like Whitehead's tho top trade would bo much more satisfactory tlian it is at present. I say candidly that good standard Gi's wool is worth 25Jd., and this notwithstanding that a good deal of blending is at present being done by the use of Nazumet skin wool. By the way, a spinner said last Monday in Bradford that he had hail worse results during the past six weeks in spinning til's tops than ever he had, and his waste ran at least to f> per cent. This is a significant statement, and shows that Bradford topmakers have resorted more than ever of late.to the use of pulled wools. It has been known for months that an extra big stuck of woolled sheejKskin* have been held at Mazaniet, and one Bradford buyer who makes a speciality of this staple has this year bought and sold larger weights than ever. Of course, skin wools cannot be thrown on one sido as useless material. That would be a very foolish experiment, but all the same tops made out of a mixture of even tleece. and skin never have been like those produced from pure, greasy fleece. It makes all the difference in the world both to yarns and pieces when straight greasy wool is used, but so long as the frozen mutton trade,, develops there is bound to lie a growing increase in the production of skin wool. CItOSSHREDS UNCHANGED. The firmness uf New Zealand markets is naturally keeping tilings here very steady and firm, although one cannot really say they are very strong. Bradford users don't, seem inclined to follow tic Americans in New Zealand, wid tho .Ufest adiiaa feus Xtoaru kit iresk cod

indicated a slight tendency in the favour ul' buyors. Of course, "l})<■ comparison was made with the previous Christchurch sale, but lliatlfunl iinportprs do not seem disposed to increase their limits. It is really difficult io make any mopo than 13d. to 13Jd. for 10's prepared tops, and it is Buenos Ayres which is this season furnishing Bradford with its cheapest supplies of crossbred wools. All through this season Bradford representatives at Buenos Ayres have been disposed to accept; orders from ltHd, to lOjd. for -10'g clean scoured preparing wool c.i.f. Liverpool. This means that they can yet produce a good average -Ill's top at 12d., consequently importers here are strongly inclined to let those pay more in New Zealand who are so disposed. There is a nice steady business passing chiefly in carded de scriptiotis, it being preparing sorts we most neglect. Crossbred spinners a.re not 100 well situated regarding work. Those who sold single 30's as high as Bs. Cd. to Bs. Jul. per gross last March, find that their customers are resenting being pressed to take in deliveries, and no doubt the business goes down badly when they can buy the same yarn at 7s. (id. to-dav. _ Thai really explains the crossbred situation. Hosiery spinners continue to ba fairly well chiployed, and although business is somewhat tiuiet, on tho whole values are steady.