STRUCTURE OF WOOL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4785, 5 December 1924, Page 4

STRUCTURE OF WOOL.

DETECTION OF BAD FIBRE, ADVICE TO FARMERS. The liner points ol wool structure, and the need for the farmer t.o he able to ascertain just what iis ths. matter with his wool at first glance, were stressed by Mf A. H. Cockayne in an address to a large gathering of sheep breeders at Palmerston North durin.:, the Royal. Show.

He explained that he had made extensive investigations in the matter of structure, one of his reasons being the frequent complaints of the British manufacturer that New Zealand Romney wool had been deteriorating, and the recognition of the harm that theise complaints were doing the Dominion’ industry. He proceeded to explain the many peculiarities of the internal and external structure o? wool. ’ Irregularity in the length of staple was’ one of the worst features. One great characteristic of wool in general was its thickness, and to this great attention must be paid, for upon it depended the count—the thinner the wool the higher the count. Uniformity in thickness had been iesponsible for the development of most of the domesticated sheep breeds in New Zealand, though in all breeds there were certain variations. It could be said, however, that this uniformity was manifest more in New Zealand thaii'in any other country ffi the world.

The lecturer showed by a series or lantern slides the different characteristics of the internal and external structure of wool fibre, illustrating the various periods of evolution, and tendered advice on the development of a good crimp, or curl, which was indicative of character. It was generally the case that the hair-grown wool was whiter than the ordinary, this peculiarity, being, caused by the Internal structure being composed of certain cells filled with finely divided air, which, in turn, reflected .the light Appearances were frequently very deceptive, and it sometimes happened that wool was not good in spite of the curl, on account of internal structure idiosyhcra.cies.

The use of the proper class of ram would, in a great measure, eliminate this hrir-wool from the offspring. Two things must be watched closely ; one was the presence of too much hahlike wool, and the other was to give, minute attention to the scaling ol wool. The different classes of scale were explained, and the most desirable pointed out. ® At the conclusion of. the address, which was profusely illustrated by slides of magnified fibre cut into minute sections, the president of the Royal Society (Mr W. Perry), who presided, stated, that it was difficult in some cases to detect bad wool. He favoured the curl or crimp running up the wool rather than and ;said that f llis bespoke a good lock. The trouble in New Zealand, he said, was unquestionably the ■ dual fibre,

which was far more manifest than many farmers realised—more particularly in long-wool,led sheep. The wiry tip was sometimes an indication <T this dual fibre, and this, together with the correct relation of the lustre of the wool to the scale, could be detected by feeling the fibre with the hands. He did not agree that, the short curl was necessarily the most desirable ; on the contrary, he consideicd that where the gradual curl was found there also would be found good woof. It was rarely the case that a soft handhng wool would be troubled with kemp, while elasticity was another indication of quality. "It is only a matter of training,” he added. "We are too careless. It is a mattei for the tsheep farmers of the Domii ion to look into, and if we do not do this, then we will lose our good reputation—and we have a goo.) reputation. South America is competing very strongly in wool, and the growers there are employing experrs from Bradford to class for them. ? n one place a stud of 40,000 sheep is gone through three Limes every year in order to eliminate bad wools. Is anything like that done in New Zealand ?”