SHOULD WOOL BE SCOURED?

Southland Times, Issue 1218, 4 March 1870, Page 2

SHOULD WOOL BE SCOURED?

The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Limited, issue the subjoined as a supplement to their monthly circular :— The following remarks in regard to the practice of scouring wo »L in the Colonies after shearing, as well as that of washing it on the sheep's back in hot water, often in conjunction with the use of soda or other alkaline preparations, are offered to our constituents, in the hope that they may be of service. As a preliminary to the examination of the two systems, it is necessary to draw attention to a misapprehension which appears widely to prevail, and which underlies almost everyone of the many fallacies propounded in regard to them. The received opinion seems to be that, whatever its financial results, the applica- , tion of either Bystem effects some intrinsic improvement in the wool itself. This is not the case. Both operations are, in fact, neither more nor less than the first process of manufacture imperfectly performed, and although when injudiciously applied they are no doubt capable of inflicting injury, neither, under any circumstances, is capable of effecting any actual improvement. There are, of course, instances in which flocks may be subjected to the process of scouring or of washing with hot water, entirely without injury, and with signal improvement in 'point of appearance. In such cases, if the expense be rot too great, or the loss in weight too serious, it is obviously the interest of the grower so to deal with them ; but, upon the whole, and in the majority of cases, the amount realized for the wool remains probably much the same, whatever system of washing (or not washing) the grower adopts, and • the expense and trouble incident both to scouring aud to washing with hot water are usually thrown away. In other and not very rare cases, positive injury is inflicted by both processes, particularly by the latter. As, however, the nature and effects of scouring and hot- water washing are essentially different, it will be necessary to discuss them separately, prefacing what bas to be said on the subject with the remark, that theae observations only apply to fleece' as distinguished from skin wool, the former being that alone which has an interest to the grower. The advantages offered by the system of scouring fleece wools are, with rare exceptions, confined to economy of freight and cartage. The disadvantages are: the expense, the loss of time, the subjecting the article to the suspicion of being mixed with skin wool, the rendering the further sorting of it impossible, and the fact that wools which have twice undergone the process of scouring do not, as a rule, give 1 so bright a face when made into cloth as other descriptions, and are therefore in comparative disfavor with some buyers, and are only purchased by them when relatively cheaper than washed fleece wools. To this rule the following appears to be the only exception. It occasionally happens that a flock of wool is intrinsically better than its appearance would lead buyers to suppose. To use a manufacturer's expression it "goes forward*' in every process, and is, in consequence, more marketable when scoured than when in the raw condition. It is, however, impossible to explain in writing the characteristics by which .such wools may be distinguished, this being entirely a matter of technical knowledge and experience. Of course in these remarks it is assumed that the process of scouring is imperfectly performed — in other words, is not so complete as to obviate the necessity of re-scouring by the manufacturer before the wool is dyed and spun. It will probably, however, be a high estimate if we assume that five per cent, of all scoured wool exported from Australia and New Zealand is of this character. Having regard to all these considerations, we think scouring is usually a loss to the grower. The case, as against or in favor of washing with hot-water, depends upon other considerations. Compactness of staple is an excellence which but few descriptions of wool can afford to dispense with. The use of hot water, and notably the use of soda iv conjunction with it, have a tendency to destroy this compactness in the case of wools of ordinary growth aud character, and to produce in its place openness and " fuzziness " of staple". The opinion of the eminent French Manufacturers, Messrs Seydoux, Sieber, and Co., of 1 an Cateau pres Hoesnes, (Nord), may be of some value. They state, that "for about eighteen months past, their attention has been directed to the fact, that the Colonial flocks of the Jnghest rank, which used to give them complete satisfaction, no longer furnish a yarn so close, firm, or elastic, as was formerly the case, thus rendering the manufacture of the most delicate textures — for which the wools are employed — both difficult and frequently imperfect." They " attribute these defects entirely to the use of soda and alkali in the process of washings — substances which radically affect the fibre, and prejudice the character of its working." Of this, they " have the most incontestable proof, derived from their own experience." On the other hand, they " are equally convinced, that as far as such flocks are concerned the use of hot-water and soft-soap, would exercise no prejudicial influence." We would have our constituents distinctly understand that the above remarks of the French Manufacturers apply only to the highest class of flocks. Hot-water-washed Wool no doubt looks lighter and brighter than other descriptions, but this advantage does not compensate for the openness and "fuzziness" both in fact and in appearance, which that process is in so many instances found to produce. Very fine, shortgrown, close-stapled clothing wools, as' well as combing descriptions of high i breed and superior quality, ate abl» to.

support it without injury ; and as regards them, much may be said on both sides of the question. There is the expense on the one hand, and the saving of freight on the other. There is the brighter, more attractive appearaiacej to be set against, thei loss in weight which ; the process involves. ■ These are quesdons, however, which nothing '. but experiment can determine, although we incline to the belief, that in such caVes.'the financial J results are, upon' the whole) pretty mucliU:the same, to the grower. As between: shipping in the grease, and fleece washed, . we have always inclined in favor of the latter, in offering advice to 'squatters, for the reason, that grease wools are chiefly pttrchased by, and most in favor with foreign buyers (whose attendance and support are often capricious), and are frequently, on the other hand, neglected by English Manufacturers ; while fleece washed descriptions command the run of both markets, and so secure a larger aud steadier range of competition.