WOOL RESEARCH

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 138, 13 June 1931, Page 13

WOOL RESEARCH

•PLACE OF SCIENCE LAST YEAR'S CONFERENCE !THE OFFICIAL REPORT (From "The Post's" Representative.) LONDON, Ist May. The Empire, Marketing Board has issued the report of the proceedings at the Imperial Wool Kesearch Conference held last September. At this there was a discussion on the present position of wool research throughout the Empire, and papers were read by various experts. Dr. E. Marsden represented New Zealand, and contributed a paper on research work in the Dominion. Papers were read ou Industrial Besearch Associations by Mr. A. L. Hetherington (Department of Scientific and Industrial Besearch); Scientific Correlation between ' Wool Produce and Manufacturer by Dr. S. G. Barker (Director of Besearch, Wool Industries Besearch Association); and the various overseas delegates spoke on' research work in their respective Dominions'. Dr. J. E. Nichols, of the Wool Industries* Besearoh Association, who is engaged on a survey of wool production and utilisation in the Empire on behalf' of the Empire Marketing Board, presented some general notes' on his survey. These .papers are reproduced in the present report. The second day's meeting of the conference opened at tyio Wool Industries Research. Association, Torridon, Headingley, Leods. The delegates were conducted round the laboratories, and the work in progress was demonstrated to them by members of the staff of the association. The lest of the day was spent in conference, papers being read on the Influence of Feeding on Wool Production by Dr. J. B. Orr (Director of the Bowctfc Besearch Institute, Aberdeen), and on Problems of Wool Production in Great Britain by Professor B. G. White (Department of Agriculture, University College of North Wales). On 24th September the delegates visited Leeds University, where they ■were received by Dr. J. B. Baillie, ViceChancellor. Short papers/were lead by Mr. W. T. Astbury and Mr. J. B. Speakraan, of the Department of Textile Industries, after which the delegates were Bhown round the department by Professor A. 3?. Barker. JOINT BMPIEE WORK.

Oh 25th September the conference returned to Leeds and devoted time to a discussion on the advancement 'and correlation of wool research throughout the Empire. This discussion included proposals for joint work, the collection and dissemination of knowledge and literature, proposals for interchange of staff, information and ideas concerning research work on wool, etc. Luncheon was provided in the canteen of the Wool Industries Research Association, ana later in the day the conference left for Edinburgh. On 26th September the conference met in the morning at the Department Nof - Animal- Genetics, University of Edinburgh. The delegates were welcomed by Professor J. Cossar Ewart, F. 8.5., Who gave a short account of the history and experiments on the ■ coats of birds arid animals, especially the sheep. Professor F. A. B. Crew read a paper on the Departmental Organisation relating to Eesearch, on the Biology of 'the Fleece, and Mr. W. G. Miller read a paper discussing the results of the "Voronoff Experiments and Thyroid Work. The members of the staff of the Sheep Section, together with the post-graduate research students,, demonstrated the teW and laboratory work being conducted. Dr. S. 6. Barker (Director of the JJeseareh Association) dealt with the correlation between wool producer and manufacturer. Two points, \he said, clearly emerged from any: consideration of the bases of Imperial, wool research, namely: . •■«. ;

(1) All branches of seien.ee must be directed to make united and combined attacks, on -wool problems. ,No one branch of scientific thought can solve them alone. , (2) The investigation of problems affecting wool production and manufacture must be conjoint efforts and correlated pieces of research. CORRECT STARTING POINT. . 'IWhafc should be the correct startjngpoint. for scientlflc work on the wool industries?" asked Dr. Barker. ''In the past the producer and manufacturer worked largely, aa isolated factors almost to the extent of considering themselves as separate units; ■ The producer considered his work had ended when he produced a fleece1 which the manufacturer accepted.' The mere removal of dirt and grease by washing presented to the latter* a textile material in fibre form, capable of easy mechanical manipulation.. Little won- - der that in the development of the industry wool was considered merely as wool, a finished product of Nature, its chemical and physical nature and structure and its biological1 significance being largely neglected.. In the past such knowledge was unnecessary for commercial purposes.. "The industrial position, however, to-day requires something different. One is tempted to raise the question as to whether the principles of mechanical manipulation of the fibre have not largely reached their limit as regards discovery, although most certainly improvements in our methods of employment of these principles may be made. At the same time one is again tempted to ask how far modern markets are demanding something the production of which, as yet, cannot be attained because, of our lack of j fundamental fibre knowledge.

"In other words, whilst ascribing to our industrial efficiency its high degreo of excellence, yet at the same time do not let us forget that there may possibly bo a means of alteration of fibre structure, means of attainment %i greater fibre uniformity which could'be'placed at the disposal of themanufacturer to produce fabrics giving greater variety and in true accordance with modern hygienic, scientific/ aesthetic, and domestic requirements.

"It is here that the work of the scientist is essential. Hence, at the outset of any Imperial'scheme of wool research, one must strongly adyocato the scientific determination of its essentials and fundamentals, or what might be ascribed as a truo investigation of wool as wool loaving out primarily the specific cases of specific'wools or specific conditions such as may be encountered under particular circumetances. Not that the latter points should be neglected, but due emphasis must be'given to tlie fact that we must have solid foundations on which to build our super-structure. SYNTHETIC FILAMENTS. | "The farmer undoubtedly understands wool production from the practical point of view, whilst the manufacturer understands its manipulation similarly, but neither of them have yet fully realised the importance of the precise chemical, physical, biological, and scientific factors involved in the fibre which they produce or use as a raw material. "Wo are now arrayed in competition against scientifically produced synthetic filaments for textile purposes which can no longer be regarded as artificial or imitations of anything else. They have become firmly established as textile fibres on a basis of

their own, with their own characteristic properties. They must bo-con-sidered purely and simply as. a scientific production placed in the hands of the textile man to produce new fabrics, which have found a high degree oi! favour on the modern market. "We must not, however, loso sight of the fact that wool is still the paramount fibre for use as wearing apparel on the human body owing -to its unrivalled natural qualities. Nature .has endowed us with a tcxtilo fibre in wool, whose very origin betokened its purpose for a bodily covering, and whoso characteristics from a hygienic, wearing, economic, and aesthetic point of view ato unrivalled. Wo hear today of proposed campaigns to boost the uso'of wool, and I have been ono of the guilty ones in emphasising its scientific qualifications for use as wearing apparel, but what is* primarily needed, in my opinion, is that wo, should concentrate on our work of research, so as to give the manufacturer an opportunity to exercise his undoubted skill of design and manipulation, Lin the production of greater variety in fabrics and possibly, somo new typo of material which would most' effectively meet the dictatos of fashion and the demands of tho market."