THE WOOLS OF THE WORLD

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2166, 15 April 1908, Page 1

THE WOOLS OF THE WORLD

A CHAPTER TO AVOOL GROWERS,

(From our Special Correspondent.) BRADFORD, March 6. Tlio surprise of the world during tho past twenty years has boon the riso and progress in the production of cross-bred wool. This really is only a recent development, but tho phenomenon is here to stay. Messrs. H. Schwarts',o and Co. hand mo a tow details touching upon this very aspect of tho trade. Tho following figures show tho production of morinos and cross-breds since 1889, and they rolnito only to Colonial and River Plato wool, ns shown in tho imports into this country:—

Proportion of Year. Crossbred. 1889 17.2 per cent. 1893 23.1 „ 1899 45.6 . „ 1900 50.7 „ 1901 48.1 1902 .48.1 1903 51.8 „ 1904 51.8 ' 1905 49.2 „ 1906 46.8 „ 1907 45.0

The above makes a wonderful showing ns exhibiting tho changed character of the bulk of tho world’s wool product during the. east fifteen years, and it is worth special mention that New Zealand and River Plato aro entirely -responsible for this great e 1 iaiigo Y'liit-v.is. doubtful -’if, ever; cross* bred values; -will ever get back to the low level of 1901-2, and neither user nor producer want to seo them. Still tho fact is there that cross-bred wools, if tlie product of England and America is coupled with that of Now Zealand and tlio River Plate, are to-day being grown more largely than Hue. wools are, this being entirely due to a recognition of the increased carcase raluo of tlio cross-bred sheep over the merino.

As everybody knows these cross-bred wools are filling a gap which merinos could never fill, and their general utility is now being recognised the wide world over. Cross-bred wools really start at 32’s quality aiid range up to 58’s, and aro spoken of as being coarse, medium, and fine. Plenty of buyers will say that coarse crossbreds really begin at 36’s, and below that we come to carnet stock. To a largo extent this is true, as will be seen from the following table, in which I set out the method of classing cross-bred wools:

Fmo crossbreds GO's to sG’s quality. Medium crossbreds 46’s to 48’s quality Coarse cross-breds 40’s to 44’s quality. Low cross-breds 36’s quality and below. LEADING DIFFERENCES. A collection of reqreentativo samples of'tlio wools grown in the world affords data for many comparisons. Not only do we see the great difference in quality, as already sit id, but also in length of staple, as well as many other characteristics. The reader can easily see that wools only -ono inch long cannot be put to the same purposo as, say, Lincoln hogs with a 12-incli staple, and vice versa. Then each country’s wool differs considerably in point of general appearance, growth and manufacturing capabilities. For some purposes, English wools cannot yet be beat by even corresponding qualities, grown "elsewhere, while even Australian merinos rank as the best grown anywhere. The wools of South Africa can well do with an improvement, for they are still far behind, generally speaking, _ those of Australia, notwithstanding they are of merino origin. New Zealand cross-breds still outstrip those of River Plate, both m spinning property and handle, though -if a manufacturer wants to make a fabric that handles sharp' and firm like, serge, then South American wools full the bill admirably. One grand thing about the wools of the world is the good, general useful properties, and sheepbreeders have simply to encourage their flocks to produce the best wool possible by maintaining character and breed. .In buying' wool, every user studies his special requirements, and ho seeks out that class of raw produce which most fully Wets liis ld'eail. Herein lies the art of manufacturing, and it will pay any class of sheep breader to still maintain the maximum degree of excellence he possibly can. In the future, success will bo reaped only by that man who looks after every point which determines both a. good sheep and good woo], for the latter never did grow and never will grow upon a mongrel type of sheep. In the man-ufacturing-world tliere is room for every class and-quality, and whether it be bright Lincoln, cross-bred, or fine merino, all alike can be put to serviceable use. To my thinking tliere are always enough qualities, the next step is that of consolidation, and a producing of the best. CARPET WOOLS.

Carpet wools are not such a hi" representative class as other'descrip“ tions, still they fill a very useful Sphere. In .this article I touch only upon the Scottish hlackfaced' wools, which are still almost entirely used for that purpose, at least so far as domestic wools are concerned. Other competitive wools are crown in the North of England, throughout Scotland, and certain parts of . Ireland. Like 'many other sheep men the wide world over, even Scotch sheep breeders this last five or six years have gone in for growing a thick, dense fleece, with a corresponding sacrifice of quality. America still proves to bo a very valuable customer for theso wools, and as bright a future ■ls before the . Scotch sheep breeder as any other class. Wherever one looks in the sheep breeding world, it is impossible to overlook the forward policy which is everywhere in vogue, and one rejoices that neither sheep breeding nor wool growing is yet a decaying industry. Pair to good prices still obtain for the man who takes a pride in seeing, that life sheep grow good, useful wool, and this should bo an incentive to everyone to do his best.