OUR YORKSHIRE LETTER.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2340, 5 November 1908, Page 7

OUR YORKSHIRE LETTER.

LAMBS’ WOOL

(Fno’vi Ouk Special Correspondent.]

BRADFORD, September 18. I received, the other day, a communication from a big Huddersfield firm of woollen and. -worsted manufacturers', whose fabrics always snow superior merit, and who boast of never using an ounce of mango, shoddy, or cotton from .January to December. That is something to be proud of, for very few firms indeed can to-day make such a boast as that. This communication contained the following significant words: “We are.in want of some super greasy or warm water washed lambs; price is no object. As we cannot find any, do you know any source where they can be bought?’' That I thought to be a good sign, and very encouraging, showing as it does that this class of lambs is still wanted. When I have seen such produce offered in London, and sell up to 3s lOcl per lb for scoured lots, while the greasy has made up to Is 8-Jd per lb., I thought like many more that the firms buying them ■must have a special trade. That no doubt is so, for the firm in question produces some real high quality fabrics for which they can command their own price.

Let me here say that good, clean, straight lambs have been scarce for some time, and there appears to' be very little prospect of any quantity being offered during the next few months. Growers themselve know better than users why good lambs are so scarce, and the late partial drought in Victoria and the Southern portion of New South Wales is not indicative of very much in the way of lambs’ wool production during the next few months. This is to be regretted, for Victorian lambs still claim premier position on the markets of the world. There is nothing like West Victoria lambs from the Skipton flocks, and it is lambs from such stations as Langi Willi, Ercihloune, Mount- Biite, Wcoriwyrite, and a few more, which sell ,at very high prices indeed.

flic question of lambs’ wool is one that is worth considering, for on every station and farm, lambs aro always welcome providing there is no drought. One wonders why lambs’ wool is not so plentiful as it used to be, and no doubt the high shearing rates now current in Australia, and the tendency to allow young sheep to run on. a full twelve months as hoggets, are two reasons why there is a scarcity of this special class of merino produce. It is not my intention to say one word .about -lambs being shorn, or to advise in. any direction, local circumstances' no doubt deciding the actions of all sheep owners as to shearing young sheep or letting them ran to a full year's growth. But in lambs’ wool we have a very useful commodity, and it will be a pity if sufficient is not produced to meet the wants of manufacturers. Lambs are lambs, and when all is said and done the fleece from these young sheep cannot. be replaced by either hogget wether, or ewe’s wool. It seemto be the very nature of the- produce from these firstlings of the flock fo give results in manufacture which cannot be got from -any other source • and this is well known by the trade.' If -careful note is made by sheepbreeders they will see that the wool from .lambs- is very springy, the- fibre is so full of life and vitality that it cannot be kept down and made to lie luce wool from older grown sheep there a s a special curl and wrinkle, all these being features which are turned to good account by manufacturers.

Very seldom indeed, is lambs’ wool -used for combing purposes, because tne staple i p not long enough. Besides, the price a decent parcel usually realises is too high for topmakers, being as a rule dearer in proportion than combing, broken, necks, or piecje-s Ihe result is that nearly every bale of lambs’ wool is bought by w-oaken manufacturers for makin" tweeds, flannels, and especially for underclothing purposes. For blending with inferior materials such as muiigo, shoddy, and cotton tliey do (letter than longer stapled wool, for m the process of -milling or felting the lambs will come t<j the surface -and in that very act they hide and coyer up these adulterants. .»^ en a S a ki, lambs/ are always beaurifuily soft and kind to handle, and on that .account they have come into much favour fob making all classes of _ People with a tender skin will find m the finest quality of all wool vest® and pants fabrics which suit them -admirably ,and the .fact is noteworthy that the high prices paid in London Just year were for the pick of the West Victorian lambs bought for this purpose. One never sees the high prices made for the, lambs grown in New South Wales that we do for the lambs grown in Victoria, and here the latter un~ doubtedly score. Naturally there is a cause for this, and it is not far to seek. Colour is an important characteristic in- lambs’ wool, and this is one of the slight weaknesses connected with the lambs grown in the premier State. I don’t profess to explain the reason, but the fact is nevertheless, a stubborn one that there is never that brightness, lustre, -and excellent white colour aboutl New South Whies Jambs that there is about the lambs -from Victoria, as a rule they are more a yellow white, and when they come into the woven piece there is an altogether different appearance to- the pieces made from Victorian lambs. This is an important feature, particularly in the wbollen trade where the biggest weight of lambs are consumed. 4he hosiery tirade as well, which also consumes very large quantities, find that lustre and appearance is..a valuable property, and. nobody likes dingy dull, yellow shades of white. Where lambs -are shorn it would; be as wed to try to have the wool in as good condition and as attractive as possible, and the fewer burrs there are the better.

The lambs of New South Wales -are frequently very short, and this makes against them realising big prices. Why this sh-ouCd be so I am at a loss to know, but there is no doubt that a decent length of staple is a decided advantage, and lambs should! nover bo shorn that are very short. Let breeders in other -parts of the world siote these facts. Then careful sorting of the lambs is an important thing to do. I have frequently seen lambs sold in London which might easily have realised a

Id to 2d per lb more if tliey had been better classed. It is no difficult job making firsts, seconds, and thirds, paying due regard to 'length and condition. To growers I would -say, -don’t jnix all classes ancli sorts together. This is very bad, .-requiring far more sorting afterwards than it does when the lambs aro shorn upon the station.