The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is in corpora led the West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, NOV., 12th 1921. WOOL STRUCTURE.

Hokitika Guardian, 12 November 1924, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is in corpora led the West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, NOV., 12th 1921. WOOL STRUCTURE.

I iik liner points ol wool Mi in tine, and the need for the fanner to he aide (,> ascertain just what is the matter with his wool at the first glance, wete

stressed liy .Mr A. 11. Cockayne in an address to a huge gathering ol sheep breeders at Palmerston North dining the Royal Show, lie explained that he hail made extensive investigations in l lie matter of Mini tore, one ol hi . reasons I eing the Ir< <| u<-nt miuI'hliul . ol Ihe Piiiti.h ma uoiait Ni cr that New Zealand Romney wool had been deteriorating. I the recognition ol the harm that these complaints were lining the Dominion industry, lie proceeded to explain tile many peculiarities ol the internal and external structure ol wool. Irregularity in the length

ol .staple Was one of the worst ieatorcs. One great characteristic of wool in general was its thickness, and to this great attention must: be paid, for upon it depended the count. I'niloiinily in thickness had been responsible lor the development of most of the domesticated sheep breeds in New Zealand, though in all breeds there "ere certain variations. It could he said, however, that this uniformity was inaiiihst mole in New Zealand than in any other country in the world. The lecturer showed by a series of lantern slides the different characteristics of the internal and external stria lure of Wool fibre, illustrating the various pel lod.s of evolution, and tendering advice (.ii the development of a good crimp or curl, which was indicative ol character. It was generally the ease •bat the iiair-grown wool was whiter •ban the ordinary, this pes uliaritv being caused by the internal structure

I«‘iii!4 composed of certain colls lilloil "itli finely divided air. which, in turn lollooto.l tin* light. Appearances Here lroi|iiont!y very deceptive, and it sninelimo.s happened'that wool was i.nt g ■ in spite of the etui, on account of inlorinil .structu'ro idiocy,n; racie.s. The use of the piop.-r .lass of ram would, ill n “real measuie, eliminate this hair. mon! Irom the offspring. Two things must he watched closely, one was the pioscute of too much hair-lilt.* wool ma.sipierading under the name of wool, and the other was to give minute attention to the sea line 0 f wool. The different classes of scale were explained and the most desirable pointed out. At the conclusion of the address which w ;is profusely illustrated hy slides of magnified fibre, cut into minute sections. the president of the Itoyal So-

ciety (.Mr W. Peiryl. who presided, stated that it was difficult in some cases to detect had wool, lie favoured the

url or crimp running up the wool

rather than across, mid said that this bespoke a Rood loch. The trouble in New Zealand, In* said, was unquevstion-

ih.lv the dual fibre, which was far mo*r manifest than many farmers realised more particularly in long-woolled sheep.

The wiry tip was sometimes an indication of this dual fibre, and this together with the correct relation of the lustre of the wool to the scale could he detected hv feeling the fibre with the hands, lie did not agree that the short curl was necessarily the most desirable: oil the contrary, lie considered that where the gradual curl was found there also would he found (rood wool. It was rarely the case that a soft handlin'; wool would be troubled with kenip, while elasticity was another indication of fpiality. ‘lt was only a matter of training." he added. “We are too careless. It is a matter for the sheep farmers of the Dominion to look into, and if we do not do this, then wo will lose our good reputation—and we have a good reputation. .South America is competing very strongly in wool and the growers there are employing experts from Bradford to class for them. Tn one place a stud of -10-fXX) sheep is gone through three times every year in order to eliminate had wools. Is anything like that done in New 7 land ?”