PRACTICAL NOTES ON MERINO AND CROSSBRED WOOLS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 1969, 3 January 1907, Page 4

PRACTICAL NOTES ON MERINO AND CROSSBRED WOOLS.

(From Our Special Correspondent.) BRADFORD, Nov. !), 1000. I have ulwa.vs contended that the more growers knew about the growing lleeco, tlio more interest they would have in caring for their flocks. To tell a man t ogrow a good fleece of wool is, no doubt, all right, but to tell him why is bettor still, lienee a few practical notes on merino and crossbred wools will not be out of place.

Every user of too raw Uniterm I knows that the hotter the staple, tin more sound and saleable will bo the manufactured article. Some Bradford spinners show a strong prejudice for good, long Adelaide wools, and during the Into drought sonic difficulty was experienced in finding stock sufficiently sound in character to meet tho requirements of the user. The result was that increasing attention was paid to Now Zealand wools, tlioir spinning property being very woll known. A top combed out of tender, mushy wool, is bound to he correspondingly short, as well as deficient in stylo, color, strength, and condition. Plenty of topmakors, 1 could name, a few years back when tlie Australian drought held sway, had some most unpleasant experiences, not a little loss having to bo encountered. This is one of those things which neither wool-growers nor topmakors have the least control over, while no compensation is offered in any other direction to recoup the losses entailed when handling badly grown and tender wools. There is all the difference ill the wool to a spinner between wool that has been healthily grown, and wool that has been starved, for the cells of tho latter become so shrivelled as to possess little elasticity, and the spinning property being gone causes the fibre to break under tho strain. This is one of these things which only those who have had experience know what are the disadvantages of having to handle tender lifeless wools, and the difference between the raw material this season and, say, two years ago, is indeed great. The whole principle of wool growing seems to mo to revert to the stomach of the sheep and the same being filled with good nutritious food. Like everything else even a sheep cannot do tho work nature designed without its productive capacity being adequately supported by a rich pasture, and it is to bo hoped that Australia will now have done with its record, of droughts. NEW ZEALAND MERINOS. Some concern is manifest in certain manufacturing quarters about the growing scarcity of New Zealand merino wools, crossbreds “bossing the show.” This is for some things rather to ho regretted, but growers will undoubtedly continue to produce that which pays them best. At the same time it is to be sincerely hoped that fine wools will not disappear, these serving a most useful purpose, and aio prune favorites with some manufacturers. In the case of New Zealand merinos, we seldom find a tender grown staple, and it has been frequently remarked among buyers that they very seldom, indeed, find among New Zealand wools any lack of vitality in tlie staple. Practical wool men know that New Zealai <1 wools, if anything, ape risqally ext'-a heavy in grease or yolk, and it is one of tlie inherent characteristics of a good greasy fleece that it is always sound in staple. I should say that New Zealand wools, both merino and ciossbred, can hold their own against all comers on this one point, though ir, is right to say that Tasmanian wools are also very sound indeed. Now, because of their soundness they are often mixed with both South Australian and Queensland in producing CD's tops, New Zealand merinos acting the part of “tliroughs” when the blend is composed of something more short, ■ tender and mushy. Then, too, the total freedom of burr is another satisfactory feature about New Zealand wools, which cannot be said for any other Australian Stalewools, unless it is Queensland. West Riding woollen manufacturers are very much prejudiced in favor of New Zealand merinos on account of the cleanness of the staple when scoured, and a Jess quantity of New Zealand wool is carbonised than anyother wool grown in Australasia or South America. Even the fact of mnufacturerg being able to destroy seeds, burrs and other vegetable matter should not make growers careless about these objectionable elements being found in tlieir wools, for tlie principle still holds good that cleaner the wool the better the price, extracting always causing wool to perish a little in lustre and strength. On every hand merino wools are to-duv in excellent demand, if there is any character at all about them, and tho few, points mentioned are still well worth the consideration of those growing and handling these wools. CHARACTERISTICS OF CROSSBRED WOOLS. . In dealing with crossbreds we have a totally dilforent article to consider for here there is something more tangible and solid to face the "ordeal which every fibre of wool lias to endure befpre jt reaches the finished fabric. I have beep ,asked many a time if it was possible to card, comb, and spin a blend of wool in which merinos and crossbreds had been mixed together. This is absolutely impossible, impossible from the standpoint of the machines, mid most impracticable from a business standpoint. Even if 4U’s crossbred were worth as much as a GO’s Botany, it would then be altogether unworkable, while as to the final results, nothing but disaster would attend such a mixture of two opposite materials. When a man buys wool he must always first consider its special fitness for the article he intends to produce, and with each grade of wool rilling its own particular sphere, it would be most inadvisable to attempt to force it to do what nature never intended. In tlie several varieties of wool which nature has given us wc see a most wise arrangement, and that arrangement is hound to result successfully if it is strictly adhered to. Crossbred wools are heavier .11 the fibre and more bulky in circumference than are merinos, lienee the two classes can only be dealt with separately, and put to the special purpose for which they are fitted. In tile case of crossbreds we find them growing Jaigely to produce heavy bulky materials, but at the same time present-day machinery has very extensively enabled manfueturors 1o produce some very fashionable materials, which are bulking largely in the garb of both men and woman. There is no doubt that pressure of circumstances lias to a large extent been the cause of crossbreds coining to the front, but whether or not they are here to stay for an indefinite period it is hard to say. There is little doubt that wools ranging fimn JO’s to 60’s quality will come to the front and remain there until uielinos become more plentiful aid cheaper, but I am rather inclined to think that tlie general public this lust twelve months Inis had such, a general taste for crossbred made lnlines, that they will continue their patronage for some little time to come. Nobody can dispute the usefulness of ciossbred wools. They arc to-day supplying the million with some very fashionable and cheap garments, aiul everything points to these qualities icmaining firm and relieving all fear of machinery having to stand idle because of a want of merino wools, eyeiyoue being agree I that the fleece of the mutton breeds is saving the situation. CLEANING WOOL WITHOUT CARBONISING. Quite a little stir has been caused this week in Bradford wool circles at the invention of a machine which seems destined to revolutionise the trade in seedy wools, and to bring about a reform which fop long lias been needed. Everyone practically acquainted with wool knows that seeds, skivs, moits, and other vegetable matter finds its way into nearly every fleece of wool, bellies and pieces usually being charged with t-liis obnoxious material. Up to the present no machine has been available for getting rid of this vegetable matter, the result being that “carbonising” has been resorted to. When wool is extracted it is put through a bath composed of sulphuric acid and water, the chemical burning up all vegetable matter. Manufacturers know what this means to the wool fibre, it being practically impossible to carbonise the raw material without- the wool fibre being more or less affected. In thousands of cases wool has bceu litL all v

ruined by this process, all the life and vitality having perished by the carbonising bath being :oo strong. This is a serious objection, ami carbon ised wool is always more or less affected in its spinning proper 1 -,/ A .London architect, while- per; ijtbig a now cotton gin, accidentally hit upon a new plan for treating seedy wool, and tlio writer lias been privileged

to see the operation. It is most simpli, yet very effective, and there >s every apj earanoe of it being a • bron and blessing” to the wool trader. The experiment has been carried a little further than a mere test, yesterday in

Bradford soino hundred packs of material treated by this " Youla” process being offered by auction. Tlio opinion was not entirely nnanim-us which could not be-expected, but for tlio respective lots competition was good, manufacturers bidding freely lor the stuff. It is only tlio dealers who have other fish to fry that really spoke disparagingly about it and when users have tested the benefits arising from this process, 1 am certain it will

bo more appreciated. The operation makes tlio wool more lofty, the staple remains intact, and everything of an objectionable nature is removed. There seems to bo a good future for the process, and seedy wool will not now bo dreaded like it has been The inventor clearly says that so far be cannot treat burry wool, blit hopes to do so by and by. The process will be particularly good for treating New Zealand seedy wool in which there arc no. burrs. HOLDERS AS CONFIDENT AS EVER.

It is really astonishing tlio markets that wo are having. Quo has to go back to 1899 to find a comparison with tbo present situation, and holders of the raw material are as confident as over that the future is

with them. Tlio past week lias shown that the members of the trade are far from boing choked off with supplies, ail'd that wool is still wanted, Importers who can are selling the wool in preference to combing, and the market is unquestionably a better one for tbo raw material than anything. It, is really surprising the big sales that are taking place, but it all goes to prove that consumption is at a record, and notwithstanding the heavy direct arrivals, there is no congestion of supplies anywhere, blit the opposite. Some still think that tilings cannot go on as they have done this last month without the gap being filled up, but there are no signs of it yet, and everything is moving out of hand \yitjl very great freedom. Some imports now look very cheap, and tppniakers arc finding that anything they are spiling forward out of Colonial wool is leaving them a satisfactory profit. Even many London purchasers are now fitting Bradford quotations, the market having come up full Jd. during the past month. It is really surprising what a big call there is for the raw material, and contracts already fixed are having to be executed with the greatest possible speed. Some seem to think that the consumption is increasing in merinos, and tlio whole of the Australian output will be absorbed quite easily, and that later in the year wo are likely to see fully ns stringent a situation as wo saw last autumn. There is a good deal of complaint both on tlio part of spinners and manufacturers that they cannot obtain anything like corresponding prices for tlie textile product, and they are feeling the Situation very acutely. They think that wool is dear enough without being pushed up higher, but holders say that they cap sell quite pasily everytiiing that they have, and are satisfied that to-day’s rates will look reasonable before many mouths have passed. A good super 60’s top is now generally quoted at 26d., and tlie selling price of 40’s is fully 16d., the -Jd. being frequently made. This shows how strong matters actually are, and everything is resting on a big consumptive basis. Machinery everywhere is being fully run, and so lopg as this obtains, no uneasiness will be felt. Aiohair keeps very flat, ail'd lio life or vitality is anywhere apparent. This is the cheapest article on the market. '