VEGETABE FIBRE IN WOOL.

Bush Advocate, Volume XXI, Issue 290, 11 June 1909, Page 7

VEGETABE FIBRE IN WOOL.

Messrs Barraud and Abraham, Ltd., have received from their London agents a copy of tin 1 report of the. committee appointed in Londn 1. and representing every .section <;!' (he. woollen industry, to deal wiih ilm question of vegetable fibre in v.nnl. As this is a questiou that nv.ui \:t\\y affects the colonial grower, 1 ! : c fellow ing extracts from the i«>p:;r'j will be of interest : — - _ 1. In late years manufacturers and merchants have, been greatly troubled w'th the increasing quantity of vegetable matter appearing in worsted and woollen goods after they had been dyed. Under the impression that defective sorting of the wool was the cause, they have blamed the wool merchant and the topmaker for not taking sufficient care. These latter people claim that quite as much and possibly more care than formerly is being taken. Investigation has proved that loose fibres of jute from bagging or string has been the cause of the trouble. When these are single or separated, it is impossible for the keenest eyes to detect them, and even minute pieces of canvas or small pieces of ravelledtwine used in sewing the bags might get overlooked owing to the color of these being very similar to that of the greasy wool. It has also been found where inferior bags have been used and the bale has been carefiilly stripped of its wrapper, that the exterior of the wool is covered with myriads of loose fibres of jute. 2. The vegetable matter here -allvuled to must b& rmdoivstoocl i-o \,e altogether distinct from burrs. These are quite different in appearahee and have to be treated by machinery,' which process has been improved of recent years, but the straight fibres of which we speak can only be taken out after the piece has been dyed, involving tedious and careful labor by hand. It must never be imagined for a moment that the agitation about vegetable matter in wool has anything to do with trying to cheapen the cost of sorting. Actual figures show that as much or more is now spent upon sorting wool as ever before, while the cost of burling, or taking the white fibres out of the finished pieces, is ten times what it was a few years ago. Not only is it costly to take these undyed fibres out of the cloth, but when they are taken out, they naturally leave defects in the cloth . 3. That there has been a deterioration in the* quality of the packing canvas or wool packs during recent years, seems to be admitted on all hands, but this lowering of quality has been so gradual that it has not been noticed from year to year. It is only when comparing the ba-gging with that in use say ten years ago that the difference is seen. Moreover, it is noticed that the weaving is more open than formerly, and the yarn is less twisted. Both these features cause the bagging to "fray" more easily, and thus liberate loose fibres of jute. This is especially noticea..ble wherever a out is made in the bagging such as is done when wool is exhibited for sale. 4. Among the "remedies for this evil which have been suggested to the committee and carefully considered' by them are : The use of a superior quality of canvas and sewing string; of wool-lined bags; of cotton and paper linings ; of dyed bags and dyed string; of wool sewing string; of singeing the canvas bag; of using sized or glazed bagging; of using metal fasteners to close the lid of the bag; of cross-dyeing the finished cloth ,etc. o. Quit© apart from any of these remedies there are ways by which those who handle wool before its ultimate destination could do something to mitigate the evils. It would be a groat advantage if every bag was carefully turned inside out and shaken to remove casual pieces of bagging and string sometimes carelessly left in by the maker. The bag should then be turned back again. The greatest care should be taken in the shearing, classing and packing sheds, and in the sale warehouses, that no foreign fibres, straw, grass, hemp, etc., should come into contact with the wool. 8. Specially prepared packs of a closely woven texture have however been produced with a thick corrugated paper lining, and the reports have been so unanimously favorable from buyers that the committee have no hesitation in giving these a high recommendation . 9. Singeing the cloth to remove all loose or superfluous fibres seems to have advantages. 10. Sizing the cloth leaves the impression that it is an expedient which has more- appearance than merit about it. In the rough usage of transit, etc., the glaze is apt to be rubbed off or dissolved. 12. Dyed bags and dyed string have on the surface something to reeoniinpntl bham if a 22 goods mado from wool had eventually to- bo dyed black or dark colors, but as some of the fault aruses from the rubbing of the wool iv the bagging, and as these being single fibres could not be picked off, it follows that dyed fibres going forward into light-colored goods would be a much greater danger than

light hairs in dark goods, and the committee considers the suggestion quite impracticable. Colored stripes on the bales are also considered objectionable. 13. It .is of course well known' that vegetable fibres will not dye with wool, and the question of eross-dye>-ing, i.e., one© for vegetable and' once of animal fibres, is also iuipracticable. CONCLUSIONS. ■ In~ conclusion, the- committee de- J sires to record its extreme gratification with the manner in which a large number of colonial growers I have already interested themselves, in | this question ; the response in the ; way of improved tares which have come on to the market during the present season has been as surprising as it has been gratifying. Many tares, including . cottonlined, paper-lined, singed bags, and tares of improved quality, have come under the notice of buyers, and already there has been a marked improvement in the packing of many of the best clips. The interest of buyers has also been stimulated, -and it will be advantageous to sellers who use approved tares to have the fact stated in the catalogues. It is obvious that the advantages of packing the wool in a satisfactory manner accrue to the grower, as a clip which has the confidence of users always has a preference over one not so well favored. - There may be a minute extra cost of packing, according to the desires of the users, but it appears to be more than compensated for by the advantages of goodwill, a«a fxirther it is most improbable that anyone who., takes.' a pride in his clip will send it to market in anything but the most merchantable form. Indeed, it could scarcely be imagined that any trade would send forward to market its commodities in any but tho most attractive form to the buyer. Doubtless many buyers of good wools woiild not object to share in tho extra cost if some equitable way could be found for this, but so far no feasible plan has been sugguested. Many manufacturers continue to give additional testimony to the enormous extra expense entailed by the presence of this vegetable fibre, and whatever may be the difference of opinion as to methods and division of the small, extra cost, the grower may be absolutely certain that in the ultimate reckoning, this extra cost of treatment .is always a tax on the value of the raw wool, which falls ultimately on the grower. ' Tho committee desires to urge that all growers will continue to assist in the efforts to obtain so very desirable an end. They would, however, emphasise once and for all, the fact that cotton linings constitute an equally serious element of danger, in fact, the cotton threads are liable to fray and are even more difficult to eliminate than pieces of jute string. In the opinion of the committee, the wool lining furnishes a real remedy provided that the growers can find an easy and convenient method of manipulating these linings in the process of packing. Tho various efforts mad© with paper-lined packs as previously stated have proved eminently satisfactory. The essential features are that the canvas should be sufficiently strong and not too thin; that the paper should be of the thick and corrugated type, which does not fracture; and that tho paper be thoroughly attached to the pack. Packs of this character, which have alreadybeen under the notice of the committee, are such as can . be thoroughly ■recommended, and the extra cost of such a paper lining is estimated not to exceed 9d per bale.