GETTING UP WOOL.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3532, 2 November 1882, Page 4

GETTING UP WOOL.

The Melbourne Weekly Times makes the following pointed remarks on this subject: —It is well known that for years past bale after bale of wool has been sacrificed, both at this market and in England, simply because pains were not sufficiently taken in the wool-shed to assort the different qualities on the floor or table before pressing. Good and valuable wool has been, and 13 every season, sacrificed from its being mixed with badly-bred rubbish and dirt, and all put in the same bale. This was pointed out to us the other day at one of our principal auction marts. It is chiefly with the farmers' lots this unequal quality is to be found. The large sheepowners are much more careful nowadays, and in most of the sheds skilful experts in sorting are employed. If our factors or purchasing agents detect only a small lock of dirty or inferior wool in a bale, it affects the entire brand, and they bid very suspiciously for it, and. then the grower loses considerably by his carelessness. Purchasers buy freely who buy with confidence, and the only one who profits by such slovenly packing is the manufacturer in Europe, who arranges for large quantities, and who can assort his bargain on arrival. The first step to take to secure good wool and good prices is to secure good sheep— to get them pure at first, and to keep them so. As with other animals, it coste no more to feed good sheep than it does worthless crawlers. The first cost is expensive, it is true ; but then it is capital embarked in a good paying channel, and the returns are always certain and remunerative. Whether it be merinos for the squatter, or longwools for the farmer, the breed ought always to be pure to be profitable. When the proper breed of sheep is secured, and shearing time is in, the next thing is not only to wash them, but not to clip them until the yolk is fairly up. Wool may be, and often is, perfectly white and clean, and yet not in good condition. If, as is often the case, it is hard and dry, then it has greatly lost in weight, and is depreciated in value. To have perfect condition, there must not only be whiteness and cleanliness, but sofi?iess. This property is imparted through a plentiful supply of fresh young yolk. Four or perhaps fire days, if the sheep have been properly managed at washing, and the weather is not to cold, will give this. We think it was Mr Currie who said that in this condition there will be great loss of weight between such wool and illconditioned, badly-washed, and there will be an increase in value, according to its breeding, of from 4d to Is a pound. The dinginess of badly-washed wool is more a stain than any material subslance-giving weight. To those who are in the habit of shearing in the grease, the loss by so doing, as compared with wool even in middling condition, is from 8d to als or more per sheep. Between middling and perfect condition there is a greater difference ; so said one of our most successful farming sheep-breeders the other day. Different modes of washing must be adopted with different waters. With hard water, soap, and soda must be used to make a lye for the hot soak ; with soft water, the whole of the yolk of one day must be saved, but not boiled, for the lye of the next. In each of these cases the old-fashioned open spout may be used. Ths use of soap and soda is not necessary when the water is perfectly soft. In such water wool can be washed to perfection by the use only of the natural yolk of the sheep, than which there is no stronger detergent. After washing, it is better to paddock the sheep than to yard them. If confined to the latter place they discolour each other's wool. It is essential, also, to keep them cool, as a low temperature encourages a fresh supply of yolk more than a high one. Excessivo heat will cause the yolk to evaporate, whilst cool weather develops it in a more solid state. It will be advisable to reserve a nice piece of pasture for the sheep after washing, that they may lie down without dirtying their fleeces.