OUR YORKSHIRE LETTER.

Otago Witness, Issue 2804, 11 December 1907, Page 8

OUR YORKSHIRE LETTER.

(F*ok OtJB Special Correspondent.) BRADFORD, October 18, 1907. THE "GET-UP" OF WOOL.

The get-np of wool is a perennial question, and one that is deserving of as much attention as ever at the hands of all woolgrowers. I ana sure that rhe present h ; gK range of prices has made many growers somewhat careless in their methods of preparation for market, there evidently being* abroad a feeling which finds 'some such expression as "never mind, we shall just get the same price by scamping the job and putting in the skirts as if we took them out. Because the raw material has this last few years been commanding high values, that is no reason whatever for allowing any man to adopt les3 vigorous ana thorough methods in getting up his clip for market in a businesslike way, but from what I saw at the recent series of London sales I am positive that many New Zealand clips are being carelessly handled, while Cape farmers have still much to learn before they send their wools to market as they should do. During the last few series of colonial wool sales complaints have been numeroub that the crossbred wools of New Zealand have been anything but what they should be in .point of cleanliness and growth, snd especially the lack of appreciation as to what is required by buyers. Standing valuing a big line of grease crossbred combing wool one morning, I was very much surprised to see that out of 54 bales of combing only one bale of pieces and two of belHee had been made. This raised my curiosity, and on pulling out some of the combing I stuck my hand into a lot of seeds and skirts, and this aroused suspicion. Pulling out of the bale a whole fleece, I opened it, when I beheld on the r.cck and the breach a whole mass of seeds. Certainly the belly portion had been removed, but what is known as biddy-bid was simply plastered on the neck and flanlc end, completely spoiling the bettor part of the fleece. Thinking Ihad got hold of an exceptional fleece, I went to two or three other bales and did likewise, and m every case the top and bottom end of each fleece was full of seed. Here was a flagrant case of absolute neglect to conform to the common elementary principles of preparing: wool for market. Now. tlie seeds of which I am complaining arc not the ordinary Slavs and carrot seeds which oue comes across even in Australian or Capo merinos, but are seeds which are found on no other country"* wool except New Zealand, and if a man had taken a score handfula and deliberately plastered them on they could not have been more. What was the result? Those combing wools I am certain lost at least Id p«r lb, if not lid, because the nccke and breach had not been removed. Why the difference in quality alone between the shoulder, sides, and back compared with the other parts of the fleece wb« a reason of itself for their being removed, but being also "rammed with bidJy-blds increased tenfold the fla<:rancy of the case. Here we had good bright 40's crossbred wool worth lid fetching only &£d. , j i t ?«„„ In another case wher.e we had a lot of fine halfbred and fine- orossbred, the owner had left in all the skirts, there being not even a single bale of piecos or bellies made out of the v-hfAe clip. If even one bale had been made it would have vastly improved the conxViaa wool, for in the same bale we had threef arts of fleeces, giving a ' clean yield" of 75 per cent., and other parts not more than 40 per cent. # , Then again a little appreciation of the question of quality would lead to better results. What sense is there in any man baling together fleece wool of 36' s ard 50 a quiUty? Why, there is at once Id per lb

difference between the two on the ground of quality alone, while a man seeking good hlfbred will gladly give 13d to 14d per lb, whereas the average price to-day for 56's to 40's is lOd to lid. Anybody with a very elementary knowledge of wool can at once see that when there is such a big difference in the quality of wool it will serve two separate and distinct trades. There is in such \vools a difference in length, the construction of the staple, the yield, and the appearance of the fibre, and these features alone should enable even an inteligent form labourer to separate the two classes, and to make them into at least two lots. I point out these essentials in order that owners of wool might evince a little more intelligent interest in their clip?, for oftentimes good money is lost because of a lack of appreciation of these small details which are so essential in the get-up of all wool. This question of preparing wool for market in a proper business-like way goes to the very root of the wool trade, affecting both the producer and consumer alike. I am open to say that Australian pastoralists still lead in the way they handle their clips, and it will be a good thing if the thousands of little squatters who are taking up land follow the good example of their larger competitors. But even apart from every other consideration, it pays the grower to well get up his clip. Buyers at once on examining* a lot of wool can tell if there is anything Jeft in that should be out, and if the skirts and bellies are there; it is a common occurrence if one man finds them to spread them out for others to see. In some way or other, if a man finds them, he will pass on the word, or else leave behind some mark to indicate to the next that something is wrong. And what id more pitiable for any clip of wool than to lose the confidence of buyers? When that occurs there may not be any boycott, but the wool is bought with a 'full knowledge that it will require plenty of sorting, which means a less price for the raw material; in other words, the farmer has to pay indirectly for the cost of sorting by his receiving a less price for his wool.

It is a very wise thing where merinos are grown to eliminate all the pieces, bellies, and skirts, and to pay due regard to length and quality. A grower must decide how many sorts he will make by the size of his clip, and it is possible to overclass just aa it is to under-class. What I say is, "Let the combing be combing, and make the other parts as good as care and attention can do." There are men who never touch rombing, but who want the wastier parts of the fleece, and the high prices which are at present ruling for gcod pieces, bellies, and locks show the universal use to which they can be nut. Cape wools are being better handled in many cases than they formerly were, and buyers are appreciating this fact. The six months' shearing which ia still largely practised could be abolished with advantage, but buyers would rather have a clean six months' clip than one where everything is bundled wholesale into the bale. Let growers everywhere bear in mind the fact that it pays to sort, and it will be a mistake if slipshod methods are again to prevail because stocks are light and prices high. *

HOLDERS FIRM.

The week under review has not shown a-ny material change either up or down. everything continuing intact. Merino* naturally olaim most attention, and as far as one can see are likely to do. Bradford at the moment is allowing everything to take its • own free course, the majority recognising factors being at work whioh it would be futile to attempt to deal with. In regard to fine wools, there is no desire to follow either London or Sydney, though I do say that the price of tops is just on a par with Adelaide. I don't think the cost of tops out of either Sydney or Melbourne is above this market, and certainly below London. It i 3 commonly reported that a super 60's out of Adelaide will cost 2s 4id, and Sydney 2a sid. The- former price can bq made here with the greatest ease, and 2s sid is being asked. If past experience counts for anything, then it is safe to assume that the- cabled reports from colonial markets are better than what actual results have proved in years gone by. Hence I say that colonial markets nice no stronger than what could be expected in view of how London closed recently, and when direct imports arrive those who have not cold forward will do some good with them providing current prices continue. Those direct importers who have sold at 2d per lb less than what are current quotations are naturally feeling a little uncomfortable, but they are Waiting and hoping for an ease when the pr©B«irig needs of users have been supplied. Everything is moving out of hand as fast as possible, and there U nothing to offer, and spinners ar© likewise somewhat indifferent in regard to making fresh purchaser, preferring to accept delivery of contracts previously made. There is much to encourage holders of wool, though some do not like the appearance of the financial and industrial world. - Orossbreds are exceedingly quiet, though values are steady. There is here a decided lack of life, and plenty of good 40 a prepared tops can be bought at I6d. Orders from the Continent both for yarns and combings are very small, and purchases are very limited indeed. Spinners keep busy and that is the saving clause of the whole situation Mohair has enjoyed a spell of activity, and some large purohaaea have taken place both in Turkey and the Cape especially the former country There certainly is a big consumption of Turkey average and spinners here are very bu-y.