OUR YORKSHIRE LETTER

Otago Witness, Issue 2674, 14 June 1905, Page 9

OUR YORKSHIRE LETTER

(FaOM OUB OWK COKKESPOHDIIfT.) BRADFORD, April 14. iNb. in— A UNIQUE TEST DEMONSTRATING- THE INJURY OF LIME AND ; SULPHUR DIPS ON WOOL. - Determined to see the thing through to the finish, we next purchased a bale of New Zealand crossbred wool of similar character and quality to stand as a contrast to the Argentine wool. Having got the South American wool scoured, our next was to gee "Bow it would act when it came to 'be .dyed, so we accordingly despatched to one of the largest mills in Yorkshire some good, big samples of this South American wool, along with the corresponding New 'Zealand ' wool', and asked the foreman dyer at 'this large factory to take two countries' wool 'in hand and dye corresponding samples out of both lots of wool. Three distinct shades of wool were

dyed in exactly the same way, with the ' same amount of dyeing materials, and with the same weight of wool, and we wish we

could show/every Teader -what a difference there is In shade: how that the South American wool is terribly bad, uneven in shade, not true to colour, mottled in appearance,''and the most washy colours imaginable; while dyed New Zealand wools are bright, lustrous, attractive, and as- level "'" ' and true aa it is possible to be. Perhaps the dyers' own certificate it3elf will best explain how matters really Btandt— ' ',•„ -- Dear Sir, — I have now pleasure in returning you all, the samples of wool which liave been dyed from Buenos Ayres and from the- bale of New Zealand wool respectively." Ttf .was; .<very/ apparent on the first immersion of ~ the South American wool "in\T&e dye bath that it would not take the colour as freely as it ought to do, and this is no exception with such wools. I may say here that I have spent all my life dyeing wool for manufacturing purposes, and have observed that, when wool has be«n dipped in lime and sulphur, it is impossible to get such wool a uniform shade, while the bright bloom which ought to be manifest on every shade can never be got. The Buenos Ayres wools in question clearly prove how lime and sulphur dipped wools behave, and they are not only very •unsatisfactory" from a dyer's and manufacturer's point of view, but also the shades dyed" are unreliable-, .always bad, and more or, less fugitive. No such complaint can be levied against similar wools from New Zealand, which not only dye ■without difficulty and are uniform, but always give more satisfaction all round. I can say candidly that such ingredients as lime and sulphur are. highly injurious Tv^en brought in contact with wool, and ought never to be used, as they materially depreciate the value and utility of the wool. (Signad)' — < -.

These samples have been submitted to eeveral nrominent manufacturers in this

district to get their version on them, and they all without exception pronounce them as decidedly bad, and could not be passed as satisfactory shades for cloth-manu-facturinsr purnoses. Also, to carry the experiments further, we have had part of the wool combed by another well-known Bradford -comber, who states emphatically in ft written report that the top is dingy and a bad colour, and not worth within 2d per lb of a similar quality top made from New Zealand wool. Tn one word there is a consensus of opinion, as demonstrated from actual fact, that lime and sulphur dipsjio injure the growing fleece, and sheep men should for ever discard their use.

About two years ago it was my privilege to make a canvas of th© entire wool world, and to ascertain the opinions of staplers, merchants, topmak-ers. woolcombers, spinners and manufacturers, about lime and sulnhur beincr used in conjunction with •wool, and without one single exception the testimony was the sara*). that it was bound to have an injurious effect on the growing: fleece. Wherever used, it is certain to kill all parasitical life found on the sheep, •but it also is certain to injure the manufacturing nronerties of the growing fleece. Good proprietary dips are now upon the market, and which oan be used with perfect safety and efficienev. T have experimented with lime and sulphur dipped wools, and wools also dipned m pood proprietary dips and have come to the conclusion that ihe latter have everything to recommend their use by sheen farmers in «very nart of the- world The wool section of the Bradford Chamber of Oomm^roe also raised a strong note of warning against

damaging the growing fleece by the use of deleterious mixtures as sheep-dipping materials, and lime and sulphur especially they condemn. A word to the wise is sufficient.

MARKING TIME.

Looking over the course of the market during the past week, I cannot discern much that is'different anyway, and all one can say is that Bradford is marking time. The centre of debate continues to circle round coarse crossbreds, and it is my candid ODinion that they are not as firm as they were. The utmost indifference prevails in regard to them, and anything below 46's can be bought at a fraction cheaper tl-an it could a fortnight ago. Two or three of our largest iopmafeers of low qualities are manifesting an air of indifference and stating positively that they care notHng at all about selling more of 40's tops. Some are quoting 13id with .a fair show of firmness, but I hare little hesitation in saying that even money would secure almost any quantity of good prepared tops of the quality named. Continued heavy direct imports make is imperative for those landing woo-! to be selling at one- price or another, and it is this fact which perhaps is accountable for till© little weakness tl>at is apparent in coarse materials. There is a very good call for carded tops on export account, and here prices are practically the same as for long-prepared tons, which is rather a significant item. The lack of yarn contracts continues to be a rather prominent feature of the market, and instead of being busy, it is taking owners of machinery all their time to run their frames ordinary working- hours. Wool merchants who can sell the wool as it is are preferring to do this in preference to combing, for raw material cannot be bought at a price to deliver a 40's top at will at spinners are wanting to Iniy. Anything afeove 46's is unquestionably firm, a.nd in some descriptions a =hade more can be had. though spinners fight advances for all they are worth. There seems little harmony between yarn prices and what wool is costing, and all the talk about second-hand yarns selling on the Continent is simply a manufactured lever which is being used to <iet quotations down to an unworkable level. There seems to me nothing else for it but to quietly wait for a development at the manufacturing end of tHe trade.

Merinos are very firm, but it is possible etill to buy a yew «ood sutler 60's- top at 24d, aaid 64's at 2AI&. There is no talk of weakness here — in fact, it would not need a great deal to see a further upward move. Mohair is a very slack market, and apa.rt from low qualities there is no demand whatever. A little more is doing in the niece trade, manufacturers being" rather better employed both on home and export account