The Guardian AND EVENING STAR, With which is incorporated “The West Coast Times.” TUESDAY, JULY 26th, 1921. IMPROVING WOOL.

Hokitika Guardian, 26 July 1921, Page 2

The Guardian AND EVENING STAR, With which is incorporated “The West Coast Times.” TUESDAY, JULY 26th, 1921. IMPROVING WOOL.

In the course of an interesting address on tlie subject of wool, its structure, and possible improvement given at the Conference of the Council of Agriculture at Wellington last week, Mr \V. Perry of Masterton, said the time seemed opportune for farmers to question themselves as to whether they are producing the quality in their clip that, the wpol trade most requires. He used the word ‘quality’ here not in the usual sense of fineness or otherwise, but rather in regard to .the degree of perfection of the structure of the individual wool fibre, of whatever count it may be. Breeders of the heavier wools would be, I think, very unwise to go rushing into fine wool now. for by the time they had developed a fine wooled flock the fashions would probably be changed, and they would be out of it again. It is better to breed a class of wool that will have a good average demand over a number of years, and provided it is suited to the land and climate with which ono is working, to stick, it right through. A prominent wool-buyer recently informed mo that the counN

I of Wool which met will the most ready I sale over an average of years were Lynn -ll’s to -IB’s, provided they wer<of iirst-ehiss quality. It is apparent ' that other (ountries are out to to. prove the quality of their wool and New Zealand cannot afford to lag behind. South American buyers came to New Zealand last spring, and took back with them about 000 sheep, mostly rains of the Corriedale breed. These were chosen for their quality of wool regardless of cost, and were the very pick of the breed. One of the buyers informed me that he had charge of 10,000 sheen and that tlu- whole flock was handled three times a year with a view to culling out the in-ferioir-AVOolled animals. New Zealand cross-bred wools have a great reputation on tlu‘ Home market, hut it does not do to trade on that, and let our quality go back. There probably is no country in the world better suiaed to grow good cross-bred wool, but care and understanding are required l-o keep up the standard, or. -as is quite possible, to improve it. There are far more double-fibred and harsh wools than 'there should lie in the New Zealand clip, and this must lie attributed to warn of knowledge or carelessness on the part-’ of the breeders and growers. Farmers have been inclined towards bulk and weight of woo! rather than quality, but. the sheep with a. fair weight of good quality is nearly always the most thrifty and quick-fattening animal, and naturally will give the best returns. The ave rage stud-breeder does not pay sufficient attention to quality, not only in the wool, but in the animal as a whole. When classing wool, slieepfarmers must be guided by the size of their flocks as to the number of qualities they make. Very small parcels do not sell well as a- rule, and anything under four bales is treated as a star lot. and sold in conjunction with other wools. It is when one comes to the classing on the wooltable that the value of careful breeding is realised. That there is room for improvement in our wool. T think most people will agree; hut it is another matter to find the best means to effect that improvement. InsTruc- ’ lion in wool-classing is a great help, but there; ajro not very many men | available in the country who are <>apable of imparting tile right knowledge i Fleece cometition at ourp shows, and ‘classes: for the bdst woolled sheep, would help towards improvement, providing the judges understood their work.