OUR YORKSHIRE LETTER.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLIII, Issue 120, 19 May 1909, Page 2

OUR YORKSHIRE LETTER.

VEGETABLE MATTER, IN WOOL

(From Our Special Correspondent.)

BRADFORD, April 9, 1909. U This important subject has about reached its final stage, and the Com'anittee that has been dealing with this matter during the last eighteen months met at Messrs Dalgety and Go's office, London, just before the March'series terminated, I have been favoured with an advance /proof of their recommendations, and it is now for every grower and handler of the raw material to read carefully, and to put them into* practice as far as they can. I have seen at the recent series of London sales every experiment which has been tried, and entirely share ithe views of the Committee that the best solution of the ■r difficulty is the use of wool packs which Have been lined with corrugated paper. The only thing to be careful about is to see that the, pack is of sufficient weight and strength to stand the pressure entailed in bailing, say 3501bs of greasy wool, and this can easily be done. The following are -the recommendations of the Committee :— " ' VEGETABLE FIBRE IN WOOL. (1) In late years manufacturers and merchants have been greatly trdubled with the increasing quantity' of vegetable matter appearing in worsted and woollen1 goods after they had been dyed. x 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 andl possibly more care than formerly is being taken. Investigation has proved that loose fibres of jute from bagging or- string have 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 ravelled twine used in sewing the" bags might get overlooked owing to the colour 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 carefully stripped of its wrapper that the exterior of the wool is.covered with myriads of loose fibres of jute. ' , ! (2) The vegetable matter here alluded to must be/ understood to be altogether distinct from burrs. Thes6 are quite different in apoearance, t and t 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, in--volvihg. tedious and careful labour by hand. It must never be imagined for one moment that the agitation about vegetable matt&r. 'in wool has anything to do with trying, to, cheapen-j the cost of sorting. Actual figures j show thai 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 a,re 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 bagging with that.in use, say,?ten years ago, thai the difference is seen. Moreover it is noticed that the weaving is more, open than formerly; and the yarn is * less tightly twisted. Both these, fea-; tures cause the bagging to ' 'fray / more easily, and thus liberate loose fibres of •' jute. This is especially v noticeable wherever a cut is made in the baggings-such as is done when, wool is exhibited for sale. . ' (4) Amongst the remedies for this «vil which have been suggested to the '. Committee and carefully considered by them are the use of a superior quality of canvas and sewing strong of wooly lined bags of cotton and paper linings, of dyed bags and dyed string, or wool sewing string, of singeing the canvas bag, of using sized or glazed bagging, or'using metal fasteners to close the lid of the bag, of cross-dying the finished cloth. ' "■ (5) Quite apart from any of these remedies, there are ways by which those who handle the wool before it reaches its ultimate destination could do something to mitigate the evils. It would be a great 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.

(6) With ' regard to a superior quality of jute cloth, much could be done by using tighter spun, yarn to weave into the bagging and also by producing a closer woven, cloth. It is quite evident that both these features would tend towards less fraying where the bag is cut, and that there would be less loose fibre on the wool as the result of the friction: between wool and bag. A lighter doth so made would no doubt stand the same strain of handling, and the cost of the bag need not be much more, as the saying of weight would influence the price. The same will apply to the string used for sewing purposes, which like the tares, should be undyed, as the colour (fed or blue) often proves ■ fugitive and stains clean wool. (7) Cheap cotton lining to bags has' also been suggested, and already adopted by, some growers. There are dangers connected with this. When it becomes stained with grease it is of the colour of wool, and should any small portion get overlooked it might work great harm. Of course, in the case of wool or cotton-lined bags, it becomes possible /to use a cheap . outside bag. The Committee, however, after careful consideration, .which, has been confirmed by many outside opinions and protests, are compelled to deprecate the use of calico linings. (8) On the oijher hand, exhaustive experiments have been made with paper lined bags. In the case of ordinary thin paper which has been but loosely attached with glue, the experiments have not been, satisfactory. 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 favourable 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 clqth leaves the impression that it is an expedient which ias more appearance than merit about

It. In the rough usage of transit, etc., the glaze is apt to be rubbed off or dissolved. Sizing alone is an altogether insufficient remedy, and the Committee, considers the suggestion inadequate. (11) Metal fasteners for closing the mouth of the bag have been suggested. While this is a step in the right direction, it does not . get over the difficulty at. issue, and does not materially assist in the solution of the question, besides introducing an ' element of danger 'in the handling. ■ Moreover, they render the bale more liable to pilfering during transit. (12) Dyed bags, dyed stripes/ and dyed string have on the surface something to recommend them, if all goods made from" wool had eventually to be dyed black or dark colours, but as some of the fault arises from the rubbing of the wool in the bagging, and as these single fibres could not be, picked off, it follows that dyed fibres going forward into light-coloured goods would be a much greater danger than light hairs in dark goods, and the Committee considers the suggestion quite impracticable. Coloured 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 cross dyeing, i.e., once for vegetable and once for animal fibres, is also impracticable. CONCLUSIONS. In conclusion the Committee desires to record its extreme gratification at the manner in which large numbers of Colonial growers have already interested themselves in this question. The response in way of improved taxes 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 wool in a satisfactory .manner accrue to the grower, as a clip which has the confidence of users alwalys has preference over one not so we'll favoured. . There may ,be a minute extra cost of packing according to desires of the user, but it appears to be more than compensated for by the advantages of goodwill, ' and, further, it is most improbable that anyone who takes a pride in his clip will' send it to market in anybut the most merchantable form. Indeed, it could scarcely be imagined that any trade would send forward to market its commodities in any but the most, attractive form to the buyer. Doubtless many buyers of good wools would not object to share in the extra cost, if some equitable way could be 'found for this^but so far no feasible /plan has been suggested. Many manufacturers continue to give additional testimony to the enormous extra expense entailed by the presence xof this vegetable fibre, and whatever may be the difference of opinion as to the 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. , , , The Committee desires to urge that1* all growers will continue to assist in' the efforts to obtain so very desirable an end. They would, howeyer, emphasise, once and for all, the fact that cotton linings constitute an equally, serious element of danger; in fact, cotton threads are liable,to fray, and are even more 'difficult to eliminate than pieces of jute string. The question , ctf wool linings for packs has met with an unexpected check owing to the fact that 25 per ;■ cent, duty will have to be paid in t Australia. /This means a cost of' ■' about ,1s 7a each landed, but of course the cheapest packs may then be used as outer coverings. It is hoped, however, that the Government of the Commonwealth may see it's' way io cancel this, and negotiations are in progress with that object, in view. Meanwhile, in the opinion of

the Committee, a wool lining furnishes the real, remedy, provided that the growers can find an easy and conI venient method of manipulating these linings in the process of packing. Various efforts made with paper-lined packs, as previously stated, have proved eminently satisfactory. ' The essential features are that canvas should be sufficiently strong and not too thin, that the paper should be of thick and corrugated type, which does not fracture, and that the paper be thoroughly attached to the pack. Packs of this character which have already been 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. MERINOS STILL TENDING UPWARDS. The wool situation in Bradford is still very much alive, and business remains good in most departments. Practically few complaints could be legitimately made but for the comparative slackness in all qualities from 32's to 46's, and there is no disguising the fact that 40's tops are quiet. At the same time a very steady feeling obtains, although it is practically impossible to make what topmakers are asking. Quotations range up to 12$ d for the best standard 40's, but plenty can be picked up of real good makes at 12d—a price tfiat the recent London , sales does nob warrant. It is very strange that crossbreds do not manifest more response than they do, but evidently fashions are so decisive that lower qualities are not so universally popular as merinos. There is little concern manifest over the future by holders of coarse descriptions notwithstanding the quietness which is in evidence. , Stocks of wool and tops are not in any sense large, and although business is nothing like so active as it might be, still consumpton is mantained, and wool is being shifted. Carded sorts in 40's, ' 44's, and 46's seem to be going off much faster than preparing sorts, due entirely to a fair demand from the Continent. Plenty seem to think that if merinos are going to maintain their position and further advance, it cannot be long before they react upon medium and

strong crossbreds. Already there is a big movement in 50's to 58's, and -if the wool was there some further large sales could easily be effected. There is a particularly strong demand for 56's and 58's, and America is also buying freely of import wools in these qualities. When we come to merinos there is still in evidence an advancing market, and every thing is in splendid form. Perhaps here and there super 60's tops could still be bought at 25-£ d, but a more general quotation is £d more, and 26d has been made. Unless the writer is greatly mistaken, some firms have oversold, for the same parties,who are asking 26d for super 60's are actually quoting 27£ d for 64's, and nobody are keen sellers. The fact is topmakers are more willing to buy wool than sell tops, and the outlook is still one of the be^t. Looking all round, the wool situation is exceedingly strong, combers are as busy as ever, and many1 topmakers are backward in their deliveries. Nothing better can be reported of mohair, which is still very quiet and prices are • more or less nominal at lid to IHd for Cape firsts.