OUR YORKSHIRE LETTER.

Otago Witness, Issue 2811, 26 August 1908, Page 8

OUR YORKSHIRE LETTER.

(Fkom Otjb Special Correspondent.) BRADFORD, July 10, 1908INJURIOUS SHEEP DIPS. The question of sheep dips has al ways had a special charm for thewriter, and I can sincerely say that I have spent more money or real practical experiments on this head than any other wool man in the world. For many years now I have laboured and struggled hard to induce the wool-growers of the world to produce a perfect staple of wool, and any practice or operation that is going to injure the growing fleece will command I serious oppositon no matter where in vogue. I I am glad to think that Australian sheep men carry the palm for growing fleeces as near perfection as possible, and their example is worth imitating by pastoralists in every wool-producing country in the world. Some growers seem as if they have \t> learn the fact that it is possible to injure the growing staple by applying outside mixtures, for the multitudinous concoctions which are used of a very deleterious character are such as to surprise the very gods. The wool section of the Bradford Chamber of Commerce is a real "live body," its members representing some of the largest consuming firms in the world. It recently met in conference, and rjx important question relating to sheep dips oame up for discussion. It appears that in the Orange River Colony and .the TransvaaJ caustic ' soda as a sheep dip is being recommended, i and when new« came to this country that a Huddersfield wool merchant had actually sanctioned its use, it gave rise to much misgiving. j Caustic soda as a sheep dip, no matter ibow used, cannot be regarded as a safe article to be put into the hands of the ■ general run of sheep-farmers, no matter in what country they are found, and great surprise was expressed at the recent meeting of the Chamber of Commerce that a leading Huddersfield wool merchant, who is supposed to be acting- as adviser to the Orange River Colony and the Transvaal Agricultural authorities., was to be found ; supporting such an article. At the meet- I ing of -the Chamber of Commerce the* opinion expressed* was unanimous, every speaker being of the opinion that a chemical which will actually melt into a pulp the wool fibre itself should not be recom-n'-ended for use as a sheep dip. After irueh interesting and practical discussion the writer of this moved the following lesolution, which commanded the hearty j support of every person present: — • "That this meeting express its strong opinion for the guidance of wcol-growers that any sheep dip containing lime or caustic soda in any form in its composition is a most undesirable application to j the fleece, it being calculated to have an injurious effect upon the wool, which often can only be detected in th-o process of scour-ing,'-"dying, or manufacturing, and buyers are therefore naturally suspicious of wools .from districts where such applications are in use. It is therefore in the interests of sheep-owners themselves that we urge them to avoid the use of any dips into the composition of which lime or caustic soda enters in any form." The writer of this is always open to learn anything connected with sheep and wool, but caustic soda is so powerful in its action that upon such a delicate fibre as wool it soon acts in a very injurious way. The object, no doubt, before the cheep-farmers using caustic soda and sulphur dip is <ho extermination of scab, but so long as o*her romedies of a less injurious nature to the wool can be used, it beems 6trange that an article should be recommended which, if used in too strong a proportion, will actually dissolve wool away entirely. It is little better putting poison into the hands of a three-year-old infant and telling it not to drink than putting caustic soda into the hands of sheep-farmers and not expect- j ing injurious results to follow. The excuse may be made that, used in a very dilute form along with sulphur and water, it will not have any injurious effect upon the growing fleece, but it is a vei*y common practice the wide world over for woolgrowers to dip their sheep in baths almost double the strength as recommended by proprietary dip manufacturers, and I repeat that caustic soda is one of the very worst articles to be used in connection with the growing fleece. Even the yolk on the fibre ie , not sufficient to prevent injurious results, and it is to be hoped that the resolution as passed above will have a very beneficial effect in all wool-growing- countries. Lime and sulphur a-s a sheep dip la still largely used in. South Africa, the River Plate, and, to some extent, the United States. Not two months have vet/ elapsed since I conducted for the Cape Agricultural Department an experiment on II different samples of merino -wool, comprising 31 whole fleeces, which,. I understand, had all bpen dipped in lime afad sulphur. No details whatever 'were furnished me, my instructions being to take the fleeces and find out what injury had been done to the wool, if any. Every fleece wag carefully examined in ihe greaey state, just as it came. In very many of them there were distinct evidences that something of a very injurious nature had been in contact with the wool, many of tho fleeces being very yellow and discoloured, and, worse still, were tender, brittle, and harsh in handle. I said before the wools were scoured and dyed that the results would not be sMisfactory.^and I venture to say that che Capo Agricultural officials would get an eye-opener when they saw the fleeces. What I did was lo yaiuc each fleece as it came to hand, noting itg growth, condition, and general characteristic It was plain to be seen that in many of the fleeces the growth had been retarded, and where dipping had taken place the staple showed in many cases a distinct shrinkage in tho fibres, it being decidedly weak, all the life and vitality having completely gone. J was really 'surprised to see the action of tho lime upon the wool, and I felt certain before the operation commenced that the foreman would have difficulty in scouring and dyeing. Sucli proved to be the case in many of the fleeces. It was with difficulty that tha wool could be got to scour, the t-Jeansing materials in the bath being killed by (he formation of lime scap, which was

deposited on the fibre, and which stuck so tenaciously that a good 1 colour was impossible, the majority of the samples distinctly ruined as regards colour. Next oame the dyemg operation. I said to the man in charge, "Just treat these wools in an ordinary commercial sense, the same as you would a 'big- blend of ma- ' terial." Every sample was scoured an<? dyed separately in order to obtain the maximum results, but ! alas, the dyed samples lacked "bloom" entirely, while the majority were mottled and far from Being level and even in shade. The results confirmed three previous experiments I had conducted, and 1 am satisfied that -with lime and! sulphur, although, perhaps, there is no visible evidence, of deterioration after the dipping, still the deterioration often fails to make its appearance 1 till t!be wool is scoured and dyed. The above points its .own moral to eheep-hneed-ers throughout the world. Let no sheep dip be used that is going in' the least to injure the strength of the fil'ie or the colour of the wool. Use only a dip made by any firm with a reputation to lose, and such dips as lime and sulphur, caustic soda and sulphur, and tobacco should be -banned for ever from the category of useful commodites on a sheep farm. A FIRM MARKET. J Conditions in Bradford show a continu- ' ance of the better features noted last week, interest being now centred unon Colem&n street, where the July auctions begin next Tuesday. The general feeling f&v-ours an advance, the market being very divided as to what that will be. Notwithstanding the slight improvement which has taken place in Bradford, the price of tops is nojv only on a level with what they cost" the last week of the May series, consequently users say there is no need for wool being dearer. Bui Bradford nesds something to stir it out of its present lethargic condition, and Cotemain street can do a great deal towards promoting a better state of affairs. There is proceeding a general hardening of rates all round the market, most quotations today being -22£ d for a super 60's, 23£ d for 64-'s, and 24^d for 70's tops. Spinmers seem prepared to await London's verdict before doing anything further, and there is now a disposition to see how things shape. Some are doing all they can to bhwart the upward tendency' of prices, and it is surprising that the very parties who were prophesying no slump, even so late as last January, are now so sceptical that they cannot see any reason for an advance. Consumption is being maintained at about the recent level, v and if there is little improvement, there is", all the same, no further contraction. In the opinion of the i writer the coming sales will show that all ! sections of the trade will be wanting wool, ! and this will prove the surprise packet for I those who think that <he held-over stocks are still a strong preventive of prices rising. Bradford is not the sole governing factor in determining prices, -and unless I am greatly mistaken the July series will prove much stronger than some are expecting. Even crossbreds are slightly better, there being to-day a little more incruirv and more doing on export account. Wool sails the best, and America is still a buyer both of English and colonial qualities. | Taking things ac a whole, the market shows i some improvement, though moh&xr is domf? nothing more than mark time.