OUR YORKSHIRE LETTER

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2799, 17 June 1916, Page 2

OUR YORKSHIRE LETTER

SOUTH AFRICAN WOOLS AND THEIR CHARACTERISTICS (From Om Special Correspondent.) Bradford, April 27, 1916. Last week there was sold in Coleman street some Capo Katfrarinn grease combing wools, which touched Is. 6Jd. per Ib.j this handsome price also being mado during the previous austions. This 'suggosts that Cape wools t«re ccrtuinly get-I ting on to their feet, and progress has Wen made of a most encouraging nature since the Boer- war. The very fact of tape wools having come more to tie front is of itself significant, it also being a. fact that this season American- buyers have been out to the various selling centres in South Africa and almost scooped the pool. It has. been almost n daily occurrence both at Durban, East London, and Port Elizabeth' to ; see from 14d. to 17d. paid for light-conditioned. greasy combing wools, And even apart price there is. to-day a more superior article being turned out at the Cape than ever before., We use the word Cape'in its broadest sense, meaning, of course, Natal, Orange River Colony, and the Transvaal. Tho writer holds the view that South Africa will never turn out really superior lines of merinos that will seil at such prices -as are seen for West Victorian, Tasmanian, or New England (N.S.W.) merinos. In fact, one could also include several Central Queensland clips, and the best-wools from the Riverina, south-eastern South Australian, or the best quarters in West Australia. Even wools from the latter State have this year made in London up to Is. lid. —not a bad price for greasy combing. Still, South Africa is turning out a most acceptable staple, and is destined to come to the front as the years go by. Wiil Cape Wool ever Rival Australian? Looking at South African merinos, we impressed with several features which tire well worth outlining. First of all, let us say that we entirely endorse what has been done during recent years by way of importing Australian merinos for the infusing of new blood into Cape flocks, aud improving generally Cape sheep. There certainly was room for it. Those with ■ a thorough knowledge ,of Cape merinos know that the fibre never lacks fineness, but it does lack life and elasticity. But more.upon this point later.' The South 'African climate seeins as if it affects the sheep, and causes even, imported Australian merinos to produce .a iinerVfleece..after they ,have been in the country a few years. At least , that is the impression'., .that,..generally, prevails, the standard of judgment being tho effect of climate and pasturage upon tho merino during the past hundred years. The writer has now handled Cape' meriuo3 for nearly thirty years, and in ail that time we ihave never- heard cue, complaint about the quality of the wool. If a man wants fine spinning and a really small fibrji, he can get it to his heart's content in Cape merino wool. But that fineness of'fibre is not equal in spinning value to a corresponding fine fibred merino from West Victoria or Tasmania. In measurement and diameter the two fibres may be alike, but the yards produced from the Australian merino will'spin to a fined count, and in the piece the handle will be distinctly fuller. Tho drawback is to some extent remedied by the introduction of Australian merinos, and importing stud sheep from the Commonwealth is a policy that cannot be followed to excess. We have seen Australian pastoralists question the wisdom of allowing South African sheep men the privilege of buying their best stud sheep, but Australian stiid.breeders need not be perturbed, and- they can go on selling any quantity of stud sheep without fear of Cape wool ever being a keen rival-in the markets of the world. The writer does not' fear South African merinos over replacing the Australian-grown article 1 ," due" to'" the" 'properties' "already mentioned ■ being superior in Australian merinos. There is'no-doubt tliat?climate and pasturage are'the Bole determining factors in this respect. - We have before us to-day two blue serges, one made from pure Australian wools and the other from Cape, and the 1 latter handled distinctly .different, being, more "clolliy," or fuller in-the hand.- We hope that South Africanpastoralists will'continue to look to Australia to supply good stud stock, and firmly believe-that money invested in new : blood will bring back good returns. Features of Cape Wool. • Looking' at tho various characteristics which sh'ouid be found in good merinos, we find that colour in Cape wools lacks nothing. There-is quite as bright and lustrous a white, if such a term is allowable, in merino wools as .in Australian, . and in this respect they are not one whit behind their big rival. In fact, some people think that Cape snow whites show more "bloom" than Australian merinos, but we will say that one is quite equal to the other, and that colour in wool is very essential, for when wools'are bright and clean it certainly means good money to,the grower. Shearing every six months, as some Cape farmers do, is unknown in Australia, and the War has led many*a Dutch farmer to cease the practice. At one time tho writer was-very-much opposed to six hiouths' 1 shearing, and even to-day is not favourably disposed towards it, certainly not till the war terminates. Germany in the past.has been the principal buyer of the short six. months' Capes, ami-after the war perhaps there will not he tho market for .these wools that there has been in the past. After all, these short six months'' Capes can ouly'be. used for'woollen aud hosiery purposes/the French Schlumberger comb being more adapted to handle these short six months' wools than the Noble combs used in Bradford. Tho trade to-daiy is wanting all the twelve months' grown wools that are available, and certainly till the war terminates there is no room, or very little, for six months' grown wools. Good longstapled parcels have this season been selling bstlir than short wools, and we hope ,Cape farmers will recognise tho needs of the times and grow that which tho trade is mostly wanting. ... Strength of staple is also a characteristic which is usually found in Capo wools, but not always. The same can be said for Australian merinos, and we simply mention-this fact, to impress upon wool growers everywhere the importance of soundness of staple. -The spinning capacity of wool is very lai'gely determined by the' diameter of the fibre, and the life or elasticity. in it. As already indicated, this is where Cape merinos are wanting. Possibly it is due .to the inbreeding which Cape farmers havo indulged in for a century, and while no doubt the infusion of new ■Australian blood will be of real benefit to the staple, w'e hope it will also counteract tho comparative leanness of the Cape merino. ' Of course, wTiere nothing but fineness is wanted in li faßrie, Caps wools are right enough, and we have said that they are to-day more appreciated than -ever. ■ Many spinners in Bradford aro notf using Cape tops who never touched them before, blending them with Australian tops in the drawing operation. Experience has proved that so blended they give a very fine bottom to a' coating or a serge, but only in special fabrics are Cape merinos boing used by themselves, . We seo a bright future for Cape merinos' if the present up-to-date ' methods .that are being adopted by many farmers are persisted in. After tho war the world will call for fine wools as strongly as ever, and we hope there will be a blending of interests and forces among Australian and South African pastoralists, all of which will be for the'good of-the Empire's trade. Merino Tops Again bearer.

The market is in a very healthy state, users having completely thrown off all reserve regarding merinos, which means 2d. advance since the lowest point was touched. Everybody is impressed with the soundness of the outlook for this clnss of staple. Crossbreds, too, are firmer, and while hardly so active, there is every appearanco of- a continuous healthy and satisfactory demand. As one looks forward, lie cannot but be impressed with the very favourable outlook. . Tlrs recent trouble between spinners and hosiery manufacturers which led to Government intervention has been °".H1 eel sntkfnftorilv. a>ul the writer is

interference, as some have freely talked about, respecting a flat rate being decided upon tor wool and tops. Such tin idea is altogether impracticable. What is troubling tho wool trade more is the outlook for the married men baring tn join tho" colours, for this means a still greater depleted labour market, limiting output still more, ■ -