OUR YOBKSHIRE LETTER.

Manawatu Times, Volume LXV, Issue 590, 15 December 1908, Page 3

OUR YOBKSHIRE LETTER.

LUSTRE WOOLS. (From our Special Correspondent). Bradford, Nov. fi, 1!)08. No man at all conversant with the wool trade can survey the entire field without being struck with the act that there is a great variety of raw materials; the numerous qualities, styles, length, and other characteristics forming leading essentials in connection with everj breed of sheep. This did not use to be the case, those in the trade who are now old, well remembering the time when wool supplies presented a far different choice to what is the case today. Twenty-five to 30 years ago the different varieties of crossbreds now bfiforn the trade were practically an unknown quantity, the only really good «upply being grown in the United King loin. The great export of English mutton siies to New Zealaud and the River Plate has transformed the character of wools from these two countries considerably, and to-day practically one half the world's clip is of a crossbred character. This has given to manufacturers a far greater variety than used to be tho case, and with the multiplication of qualities, real good has attended the trade. Instead of the principal fabrics worn by men being produced out of fine merino wool, crossbreds are being very largely manipulated, aud some very sightly fabrics indeed are being produced in the shape of tweeds and serges. What more serviceable cloth is there than a nice crossbred indgo serge? These are always in fashion, aud always look well; though but for the Colonial crossbred, which is largely the prduct of the English mutton sire mated with the merino, these fabrics would nGver have been worn like they are. In producing these results English lustre breeds in the sliaps of the Lincoln and Leicester have played an important part, and a few thoughts on lustre wool cannot but appeal to a large number of readers. WHAT BREEDS GROW LUSTROUS WOOLS. It is well worth asking, what breeds of sheep produce lustrous wool? Pre-eminently the Lincoln stands head and shoulders above every other Bheep, and it has played a leading part in giving to the world wool of a very useful aud practical character. Of all the known breeds of sheep the Liucolu produces the most lustrous fleece, and it is a wonderful phenomenon to see the bright, shining, silvery appearance of a Lincoln staple. Next to this breed is one that possesses considerable merit, but is hardly so well known, namely, the Wensleydale. This is a much finer quality wool, of somewhat different character, and very little, if anv, below the lustre of the Lincoln. It's merits for crossing with Scotch ewes for tho production of halfbred lambs is too well known and is somewhat outside the subject, though a slight passing reference to its principal uses should be mentioned. Then comes the Leicester, and here again we get from this breed a nice, stylish lustrous staple, though somewhat bßlow the standard of the Lincoln so far as lnstre is concerned. This, I suppose, is one of the oldest breeds of British sheep, and it certainly has proved its usefulness as a grower cf good saleable wool. The fact I think should be reoorded for the benefit of Home and Colonial readers that a greasy Lei-cester-morino halfbred wool grown in West Victoria .actually sold this year in London at the noble price of Is fid per lb., which is the year's record for crossbred wool, and considering the slump there has been, this is indeed a splendid performance. Leicester wool as a rule is finer in quality than Lincoln, it is hardly so strong in character, and is of a very useful stamp. What is known in the trade as good Yorkshire hoys also corno undei the head of lustres, the finest being produoed in the Ripon district of that county. Various views are held concerning the origin of these sheep, and it would be very profitable to get to know from what stock they have really sprang. Being grown mostly on the Yorkshire Wolds I am strongly inclined to think that whatever the breed, Leicester blood predominates. LEADING CHARACTERISTICS.

As already mentioned tliese fleeoea from the breeds of sheep enumerated are perhaps best known as longwools, largely due to the good length of staple grown, particularly on the Lincoln and Leicester breeds. Good Lincoln hog wool ranges among the longest grown staples on any class produced, and as such it is highly prized in the Bradford trade, although perhaps it does not command as a rule much more than a penny per lb. above ewes and wethers. It is best known for the special purposes to which it is put. Good "blight lustrous wools of the Lincoln type is probably the best wools of their kind grown, aud they are used in| conjunction with mohair entirely because of the bright, silky appearance of the fibre. They are also largely consumed for topmaking purposes, and owing to their length and strength they serve a very gocd purpose for wrapping machine rollers, the wool as it passes thiough the scouring bowl being wrung out as it leaves the machine, the operation being very similar to the rollers of an ordinary household wringing machine, these rollers being tightly wrapped with what is known as Lincoln hog top. This wool is also largely used in the production of worsted dress goods aud linings

which, beiug inimitable, supply the most important markets of the world.

I As already said, Lincoln lustre | wools are the in quality, Leicester being a tritie finer and a little more soft tn bardie, while wool from the Weus'eydnlo breed is finer still. It may be asked why these classes show the brilliance which they do, while other descriptions of wool show no lustre whatever. This property of lustre is to a large extent dependent upon the charactei of the surface of tho individual scales of the wool libre, and the action of the reflection of light upon and through them. This is a very intricate problem and perhaps to wool-growers of little importance, it being the commercial aspect which appeals to them most. At the same time it is as well to know how this important property is impaited, for destruction if it was possible, of this valuable property,would be a serious matter in all lustre wools. In a word, tho mechanical arrangement and structure of the surface of the wool fibre is very largely the cause of the lustre concocted with these wools, although the chemical composition and nature of tho individual ( scales of each fibre is responsible for reflecting the light. This property should be preserved, for it is of considerable importance to the worsted industry; in fact, these were the wools which practically founded the great industry that is now centred in Bradford. SORTING A LINCOLN FLEECE. Every practical sheep man knows that the shoulder wool is of far different quality to what we get, say from the rump or down the thighs. Hence arises tlo necessity for sorting the fleece into its respective qualities. The following is an aotual sorting result from a real typical Lincoln fleece of lustre wool, and it is well worth studying Seven per cent, of 40's quality; fifty per cent. 3(s's quality; fifteen per cent. 30's quality ; twenty-four per cent. 24's quality ; three per cent, shorts; one per cent, dirt.—Total 100 par oent. The following is the sorting results of a typical Leicester fleece, the difference in qualities coming out in a somewhat significant way: — Leicester flecee—Eight per cent. 44's quality; thirty-four per cent. 40's quality; thirty per cent. 36's quality ; fifteen per cent. 80's quality; five per cent. 24's quality; two per Cdnt abb; three per oent seconds; two per cent, downrights; one per cent, shirliugs or dirt.—Total 100 per cent. All the lustre breeds of sheep should be preserved in their purity ; for as time goes on they are bound fie become more valuable to the flockmasters of the world.