YORKSHIRE LETTER

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2825, 17 July 1916, Page 8

YORKSHIRE LETTER

TOPS AND TOPS (From Our Special Correspondent.) r Bradford, May 18, 1916. The question of tops is just as important to the colonial wool-growor a.s it is to the spinners and manufacturers of lorkshire, or anywhere else. Wo purpose to-day' to givo tho results of a conversation'the writer had a few days ago with a spinner, when a certain" Bradford maker's top was being discussed. A world's record, wo believe, has been made with 61's actually selling at ; lsrper Jb., just about doubio what this, quality s is worth in norinnJ times. Tho writer remembers good lil's tops having touched as low- as Is. Gd., though, of recent years when they have been at 2s. fney have been regarded as being at a useful and normal price. To-day were are living in very different times. War has driven up values until the figure has touched a higher altitude than ever known before, and all alike are asking, "How much higher yet?" There are those in Bradford who are as confident as can be that wo .shall see 61's tops touch 4s. Gd., but it is safer nowadays not to prophesy, although such a price is well within tho range of possibility. As a matter of fact, if the expectations of many are realised, they will be there by the end of July, if the shortage forecasted in merinos materialises. On tho other hand, there are some who are stating that tho recent strong upward move is more the outcome of a fear of a shortage than an actual scarcity,'but after all if the measure of consumption seen during recent months is continued, we can easily sob a squeeze for merinos before the advent of the next colonial clip. The True Standard of Tops. 11l conversation with ""the spinner already referred to, 'the writer remarked that, a certain maker's top had been sold to the extent of-200 packs (48,0001b.) at Is. per lb.,' _it also being reputed that two other firms had made ' the same price. At the same time there were other firms who could not make more than 3s. lid., it being clearly a question of the quality 'and character of the top. To be more correct, the word character' is tho proper term to use, for practically all topmakers work to a standard quality, it being length and uniformity of the top where the principal difference occurs. There are too many firms to-day in tho Bradford trade who make what they call a standard til's top whose blend of wool is largely composed of pieces and bellies, every practical wool-grower knowing that there is a big difference in the length of the staple of tho wool employed. If ono takes even first combing and blends with it pieces and bellies, lie is bound to'have a great diversity iD the-length of the fibres employed, and many ' tops to-day show too much "shoulder," that is, the long fibres break off much too quickly. That really is the' position to-day. In other words, it is 'simply a question of the class of wool which a topmaker employs to produce the combed article, and when all is said and done the old adage is true that "a man cannot make a silk purso out of a sow's ear." It all comes back to the question of how much a man is prepared to use of good wool, and whether he is prepared to sacrifice a reputation or gain one for making an inferior top, that depending entirely upon the class of -wool be is content to use.

i Topmaking. There is do branch of the wool trade so helpful to woolgrowers as topmakers. In other words, more wool is consumed on the worsted principle than anything else, and before a worsted yarn can be spun, the wool- must be combed into a long straight sliver, known in the trado as a "top." The art of topmaking has been known for a long time, and previous to the days of Cartirright, Lister, and' Holden all the tops were handcombed. The idea of topmaking occurred to a mau as he watched his ivife comb her long locks, and the art is to prepare the wool, and so work upon it that emerges from the combing machine with all the fibres combed straight and. parallel. The writer has many a time stated that there should be an. exhibition in every public library in the . colonies where woolgrowers can ; repair any day and inspect the different processes of manufacture from the fleece to the spun yarn.. One room ought to be designated for the purpose, and every process shown on a small scale. We do not mean that there should be any machinery exhibited,- unless it.were represented by a good photograph,- but wool in the grease, then scoured, carded, combed, ravings, and the spun yarns, could be exhibited. This would make an interesting display, and most educational in its influence. We have always ©deavoured to bring the woolgrower as close as possible into touch with the manufacturing end of the trade, for by so doing he not only knows its requirements, .but will make an effort to meet its needs, for in the very act of so doin§, he issimply establishing his own business on a paying basis, and also supplying a great national need. There are in the trade tops and tops just the same as cream and cream. J.t is .really wonderful what the combing machine can effect, and to see what can be produced out of pieces and fellies would be an eye-opener to many a reader, but all the same such a top is below the real standard, and when an inferior substitute is resorted to, it is entirely a question of price. It is like buying -margarine as a substitute for good dairy butter. If a man to-day wants a real first-class article that will give satisfaction every time the article is handled, he knows lie must obtain something allowing quality and excellent manufacturing properties.. The fact is, there has beeu all along too much substitution, until before the war some maker's tops were uuder-valucd by spinners, and if a man was offering fit's,, it was well-known in the trade that they were no better than a good 60's, consequently many a man's reputation has suffered. f -

Wo aro glad to think that among woolgrowers there is still a lofty ambition and.ft desire to produce a creditable article. One cannot help climatic and natural conditions, and after, all, it is remarkable, given reasonable rainfall, what tho/sheep can produce even on red, earthy soil, the same as is found in far Western New South Wales, Queensland, youth Australia, and right across to northern West Australia, Because" ivool is not grown upon black soil is no reason why it should be despised. Ail that a wool-grower is responsible for is (lie maintenance of quality and general excellence throughout his Hock, and whether it be merinos or erossbreds that are kept, the present times demand enterprise, energy and brains being put into nheep culture tho wid,e world over. Market Conditions in Bradford. There is still undiminished interest in the course of values. Although merinos are not quoted higher than last Thursday,, there is no falling off in the position of fine tops, and Is. has been made by several of the largest firms for reasonable quantities. A most comfortable feeling obtains, notwithstanding these record prices, and nobody seems prepared to take on very big contracts. A nice, steady business is proceeding, sufficient to keep values very firm, but the prices are being mostly paid by firms wanting spot delivery. The larger spinners have apparently bought fairly big quantities on forward account, and aro taking in deliveries rather than pay 10-<lay's prices. Spinners aro not finding it an easy task to make to-day's values on a parity with the cost of tops, although lis. !ld. per pound has been made for 2-BO's within the last week. In crossbreds there is by far the most doing in sG's and SB's, and here values are very firm. In 50's and'below the market is still comparatively quiet, and there is no upward movement in prices.

U is reported that crossbred wool is selling in fair quantities, and anything at a market price can be sold at a slight profit in London. At the same time there is by no means the movement in medium and low crossbreds that one sees in morinos. English fleece wools are also on the quiet side, and there will have to bo somo adjustment in prices before the advent of the new clip, it being impossible to sell domestic floece wool to-day satisfactorily either in volume or in price. Yam spinners are all exceedingly busy with deliveries, but as the Government has fixed spinning margins for military yarns, less concern is felt about now contracts. Perhaps rather less new business is offering on civilian account, many firms being greatly exercised over the labour problem, and no doubt the situation 'is such 'that when the men who are liabls'to be called up actually join the'colours, the output' will be greatly reduced.