OUR YORKSHIRE LETTER.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 237, 30 June 1908, Page 8

OUR YORKSHIRE LETTER.

IS THE USE OF DYED WOOL BALES PRACTICABLE? [from our special correspondent.] Bradford,. May 8, 1908. The question of vegetable matter in wool has lately received a good deal of attention, but not one whit nioro than the subject deserves ( Not until foreign matter ceases to trouble our manufacturers can the question lie regarded as solved. One of Bradford's best firms of spinners and dress goods manufacturers determined some months ago to ascertain for themselves whether it was possible to market the Colonial clip in dyed juto bales. From the. very start, the principal of this firm, Mr. J. H. Robinson— who, by the way, is a very active member of the Bradford Chamber of Commerce—has strongly held tlie opinion that the only solution of the present difficulty is to bale wool in dyed tares. It will be remembered that this gentle-, man ventilated his views at the Bradford con-, ference last year, when the whole trade met together; but at the time' what seemed to bo serious objections to the uso of dyed tares were raised, and the whole thing was considered impracticable. Mr. Robinson is not the man to take a thing lying down, because any party opposes his opinions, and at the time ne determined at his cftni expense to embark on an experiment, and to settle once and for all the possibility and practicability of using dyed jute tares, in order to cure tho evil through which his firm and others are at present seriously suffering. N Mr, Robinson has always maintained that, the present pact is too near tho colour of greasy wool, and that makes it difficult to detect the presence of the jute when mixed with the wool, and later when the wool has gone through the different manufacturing processes it cannot bo seen until it is dyed in the cloth. This question of dyed tares is not by any means new. If wool was baled, say, in a black or blue tare, and any jute strands got into the wool, in au instant the sorter could, see it, and if he failed to remove it it would at once be seen when it got through the scouring bowls, and auy neglect there would come home to. tho topmaker, that important person then being the guilty party. As things are at present, it is impossible to.trace'home the source of mischief. The topmaker who sorts well his wool receives no credit, for it, while the present method simply puts a premium upon carelessness, and supports the slovenly topmaker, who does not half sort his wool. : /

AN INTERESTING EXPERIMENT. The objection that was raised at the time to the use of dyed lares was that it any juto fibre got into the tops'they would "bleed," and if so that would be serious. In that case pieces intended for light shades would be completely spoiled for dyeing purposes, and Roubaix manufacturers especially would kick against them very seriously. Plausiblo as the statement on the surface 6eems to be, Mr. Robinson felt. at the time that this was more or less mere' bluff, and that in actual working it would prove-itself as such. Unable to procure a bale of wool in a black or dyed tare, Mr. Eobinson took the ordinary juto wool bale, that had como from Australia, and dyed one each of black and blue. He then took 1501b. of Colonial crossbred wool, of about 50's quality, and divided the lot into three parcels of 501b. each. Unravelling the black dyed tare, he cut 30 pieces of juto, about the length of ; a man's forefinger, and' distri- j buted these all through,one lot of 501b. Thon ho did the same with the blue dyed tare, distributing again 30' pieces through the second lot. He thon took 30 pieces of jute from an ordinary undyed tare, and distributed these through the third 501b. sample. Having done this, he sent the first two sample lots to Messrs. Isaac Holden and Sons, Limited, with instructions to scour and comb the wools just as they were, without removing one single bit of jute strine. Of course, they were kept separate, the third parcel being sent to another comber, in-order that' no mistake could bo made: I have in my possession' now a goodsized sample of the combed tops, and the dyed fibres can be 6een distinctly in the ■ twp tops, while the ordinary jute fibres are completely lost to all human appearance. The. manufacturer then took these tops, and on his frames lie spun every, ounce into, yarn except a nice hand sample. Finally, these very yarns wero woven into three 1 separate pieces of ordinary dress serge, -fabric which sells the year round! The next move was to cut off -a good dress length (about eight yards) from each of the three pieces, .'and these were sent ,to the Bradford Dyers' Association, Limited, to be dyed lilack." I was called in last week to inspect these dyed pieces, and was tho first man outside'their own office-to see them. And frhat a revelation there was. Not a particle of jutefibre could bo discerned in the two lengths of dress goods which contained the black and blue, but the length containing the ordinary undyed ,juto fibre contained scores of particles which had refused to be dyed at all. Thero were hours of work for a burler to remove the numerous, juto fibros in that third dross length, while in the, other two there was not a- single moment's work. ...

IN LIGHT SHADES. Now I can .hear somebody say: But this is not conclusive evidence of dyed juto bales solving , the present difficulties, for the trouble would be great where light ' shades wfere wanted. Let tie reader exercise patience. Mr. Robinson consulted the chairman and manager of the Dyers' Association as to what light shade could be dyed that would reveal the presence of any black or blue jute fibres that happened to be in. dress goods beforo the dyeing operation began. Tho request was made'to send in a.good dozen of the most delicate. shades, and this was done. I saw the samples, and; the most delicate in the whole .bunch was selected. This was a light blue or lavender,-a colour which, would reveal any deficiency in the fabrics at once, and especially any foreign substance such as jute. Another eight yards length was cut off the piece that had in it' the black, jute fibres, and it was sent to dye that delicate light blue-shade.. The order was given that the' dress material :was not to bo doctored, burldyed, or anything done / to destroy the juto, fibres in the piece, but that the length was to be treated as if it was a perfect piece. This was done, and : before jriy own eyes the whole dress, length was laid o*ut I was never so taken aback in :my life. It was only after very minute scrutiny that: a few small particles of black jute fibre could be found, while not a single one had "run" or "bled," as was said would be the case if black wool bags were used, and if, any accidentally got into dress goods where \light shades were wanted.' It was therefore very evident that it would not be necessary to burl-dye the piece on account of the black vegetable fibres in this light blue shade. Then again to satisfy tho manager of tho Bradford Dyers' Association, another length had been "stoved," that is, the. dress length had been taken and dealt with in the . same manner . as. white cashmeres are dealt with before being sent out for sale; and here again the results wore eminently uatisfactory. Mr. Robinson' is quite willing, to give to any interested party. a> length of this dress manorial in which there has been blended either the black or the 1 blue jute; fibres, to be dyed any shade they like, and he is confident that they will obtain the same satisfactory results as himself. •

AN' IMPORTANT POINT. There is another very important point which should not be overlooked. The present jute fibre that gets into the wool goes through tho scouring bowl,: combing machine, and spinning frame, and (is never again until the piece itself is actually dyed. Now, ;if wool bales were dyed black or. blue and any passed through the different processes ofmanufacture they would be instantly, seen in the top, and be picked out in tho sliver beforo it went further. Arid suppose the' black jute fibres were allowed to remain until the yatns were spun and the piece woven. Before that fabric went to dye and finish every one of these defects could bo more easily burled out, thus' saving valuablo. time and' expense, whereas at present', this haj to bo done after the dyeing operation, when it is more difficult and more Costly.

It should also be borne in mind that 75 per cent, of the wool fabrics mado are dyed' into dark shades, and on these not a single minute need bo spent in burling at all, whereas at present 'every, piece when dyed, no matter what shade, reveals at onco the drab jntj fibres which appear in every' piece with tho prominence that cannot be let go without being removed. The experiment, Mr. Robinson maintains, more than proves' that tho only solution to tho present difficult problem -is by tho uso of dyed black or blue tares or ail-wool bags, and ho questions very much if tho new jute bales recently. selected by tho committee in London will solvo the problem. . ~ .

The above gives _ the entire trado some interesting and practical data, and beforo long steps will -bo taken to bring the abovo facts to tho full notico of the responsible heads of tho present committee handling this important matteiv

Agriculture is everywhere being recognised as " tho coming industry." The old notion that the man who works with his intellect moro than with his _ muscle is not a real farmer, but only an imitation is fast becoming relegated to the background.—" Business Man's Magazine,"-