THE PACKING OF SMALL CLIPS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1208, 26 April 1895, Page 5

THE PACKING OF SMALL CLIPS.

At a recent meeting of the Milang Branch of the South Australian Agricultural Bureau a paper was read by Mr A. Pearce, entitled " Practical Hints to Small Sheepfarmers." From this we cull the following advice as to the packing of small wool clips:— " Recollect that wool, like all other, articles of commerce, must be got up: in the beat possible style to secure the highest market price. Frequently a nice clip by handling the skirting, sorting and packing being badly done, sells at a reduced price, and the grower instead of blaming himself accuses the broker of sacrificing his wool, and next year tries another with no better result. To get up wool properly the shearing floor should be smooth and level, of wood or stone, and kept well swept during shearing hours, as otherwise clippings and scraps of stained wool get rolled up in the fleece. The bellies must always be shorn off first and put in a bale by themselves• no second cuts should be allowed, but the wool ought to be closely and evenly shorn all over. A bad shearer will by taking too large a blow leave three quarters of an inch up on the shoulder or in shearing round the back, and the* he cuts it off with a back blow. Pieces of sltin too are often cut off by the " tomahawker," and these have to be handpicked out by the manufacturer, or they would break the delicate combing machines. When the fleece is shorn the boy who picks it up should pub it carefully together, so as not to sever any portion, and throw it out flat on the table, with the branded side uppermost. Then the woolroller takes off the discoloured parts all round, including the breech and the thighs if very seedy, and puts them in a separate bale, and they are branded as pieces. " The fleece must then have each side folded over until they meet, and then doubling over the tail and neck ends roll up tightly, and it is then ready to be bated up. String should never be used for tying, as it is not only unnecessary, but the fluffy hempen twine gets mixed with the woollen yarn and does not take the dye. It is absolutely necessary to pack crossbred and merino wool separately. This is most important. Sometimes when only two or three crossbred fleeces are in the whole clip one or more has appeared when the buyer has examined it, with the result that they have valued it as mixed all through, and so' the price would be a halfpenny to one penny per pound less. Pieces, bellies, and locks should if the clip is large enough be packed separately. Pieces ' of clean wool falling under the table ohould be picked out of the locks and j put with the pieces. "The farmer should himself always attend to the wool table, and to avoid such a loss as the above he cannot be too careful and particular in putting each sort of wool together, and if at all possible putting all fleeces into the bales. Putting any into sacks always means loss, as the exporters won't touch them, and the wool-scourers alone buy them. All "dry" sheep fleeces may be packed together if a small clip, or if large enough each sort separately. The fleeces in packing the bales must be placed in regular level tiers all round the bale. This prevents lumpy soft bales. Bach bale should be branded with the owner's name neatly put on, with the description of wool underneath. Some growers just dab on their registered brand, or with a brush* make some ill-shaped letter. Buyers know well that this slovenly branding usually belongs to carelessly packed clips and so form a bad opinion at first sight. So the farmer who in-

tends to carry out the and produce the best article, by getting the highest price, must get or make for himself a set of small stencil plates. The first should be the name of his place", or some contraction of liis name, distinct and easily recollected —say in three inch letters ; the next should be the description of wool, in two inch letters, and then a set of number plates three inch size.