TYING WOOL FLEECES.

Marlborough Express, Volume XXXIII, Issue 286, 9 December 1898, Page 4

TYING WOOL FLEECES.

Fkom time to time the Bradford- and 'Leeds Chambers of Commerce send out to the Australasian colonies offioial hints and warnings as to certain methods employed m the colonies m connection with the wool industry. Some months ago there was a strong remonstrance as to the evil effects of careless branding ; now it is the practice which many pastoralists adopt of tying fleeces with twine which calls forth objections on the part of the wool buyers. With reference to this the well-known wool expert " Bruni," makes the follow* ing remarks m the Melbourne Argus:-— For Beveral years past flock-owners have been warned by manufacturers and wool-buyers against the practice of using twine to keep the fleece together. Of old, many of the pioneers did not use string at all, not because they knew anything of the disadvantages arising therefrom, but simply beoause twine was not so plentiful m the country, and many of them were struggling men who could sot afford to spend any money but what was absolutely necessary to carry on their work. When I entered on my apprenticeship as a very email boy, I was " picker-up" to eight shearers, and then the common twine waa m use. It was loose of texture, and every fleece so tied had a fair percentage of the twine fibre left m the wool. There are still sheep-breeders m Australia who use twine of a similar description. Where a highclass merino wool is grown, the pastoraliata use a much smoother twine, but even from this the fibres left m the wool are an appreciable quantity, and tell against its value m the market. A number of the leading woolbuyers m Victoria have taken action m this matter, and lately addressed the following letter to DalgetyandCo., Geelong:— %< We, the undersigned, desire to draw your attention to the undesirable practice which prevails among Western district wool-growers of tying up fleeces with twine. Beyond the labour required to extract all string before the wool can enter any manufacturing process, the likelihood of any escaping notice, and the damage resulting therefrom, both to machinery and goods is, we consider, prejudicial to the best interests of the wool and the wool-growers." In small sheds I have seen the wool relied and packed without the fleeces being tied, and what has been done before can be done again. The difficulty will be with the, large sheds, where from thirty to forty shearers are engaged. In such sheds the wool comes m bo fast that the greatest expedition is required to prevent a block. The fleece that is tied up can be slung out of the way anyhow, but that could not be done with an untied one. By employing an extra hand or two, the fleeces might be fastened m the old way by the neck, neck-wool being drawn out so as to form a short rope. Whatever is done, the flock-masters of Australia will do well to take the letter of the wool-buyers into their serious consideration. Their protest against twice being used is much more m the interest of the flockowner than m their own.