OUR YORKSHIRE LETTER.

Otago Witness, Issue 3017, 10 January 1912, Page 17

OUR YORKSHIRE LETTER.

(From Oor Spf.cial CoRREsroxnEKT.) BRADFORD. November 23. SHEEP DIPS AND WOOL-GROWING. The questions of sheep-dipping and »voolgrowing are inseparable, ana however much pastoralists may think otherwise, experience has shown that sheep which aie in a perfect state of health, and arc not made uneasy by gnawing and biting parasites are always able to graze contented y and'grow a good fleece, it sounds reasonable that when an animal rs comfortable, and is not having to fight factors which tend to upset ns physical const tout ion, it can grow a belter fleece than one that is constantly sunbring. It is my candid opinion that money spent m a good sheep dip is a valuable investment to any sheepfarmer, and the trouble and expense cm tailed in dipping is more than refunded in better fleeces, and a healthier flock This subject of shcep-dippmg has engaged my practical attention during the past 15 years, and I have been an eyewitness of many experiments, besides spending a good deal of money in testing wool which has been nipped in many cafferent concoctions. There are snoop clips an<l sheep dips. just as there is butter and butter. Some are not worth being .taken as a gift, while I am certain there are others which arc not only useful, but highly conducive to the health of the sheep and the growing of the fleece I don't think I should have touched upon this subject but for the fact that in South Africa various obsolete methods arc still prasticcd which if made known to Australian pastoralists would make them smile. Bo it* said to the credit of the sheepfarmers at the Capo, that during the past few years considerable progress has been made, and in 10 years’ time the Gape clip will be considerably better in character than it is to-day. Still, owing to the presence of scab, this question of shcep-dippmg has always been a burning one with fcouth African sheep-fanners. Wherever scab is found it is a wretched incubus on the sheep and wool industry. 1 have always maintained that :n South Africa scab is costing the country at least £160,003 annually, and- involves a heavy direct loss to pastoralists. A scabby sheep can easily lose 11b of its best wool, while the growth of the entire fleece is also retarded. No man can estimate the actual loss which pastoralists suffer through this terrible disease, and if it could bo exterminated from South Africa it would be a “boon and a blesing” to the entire country. A WORD ON DIPS. I am afraid that the majority of pastoralists have little conception of the forces at work in connection with sheep dips. As already said, there arc .dips and dips, and it behoves everyone to sec that what lie uses bears the name of a firm with a reputation to lose. I have gone into this question most thoroughly both from a scientific and practical standpoint, and I am persuaded that some concoctions which are being used to-day are doing more harm than good. About a month ago I spent a week-end with one of the best farmers on the high fells of \\ estormoreland. As 1 walked round the farm and inspected his sheep stocks 1 saw at once that he had recently dipped for winter. It needed no expert to see that the dip he had used had hud a too bleaching effect upon the wool. IT is fleeces w ere too loose and open for art English winter I called his attention to this, and as the serving season was coming round, the next day ho yarded 150 ewes in order to separate the gimme rs from the older sheep. The opportunity was then furnished to examine the fleeces carefully. We had riot been long on the job before rny friend candidly confessed that my opinion was right, and that the recent dipping had had too searching an effect upon the wool. Of course, it was free from parasites, but otherwise there was much to he desired. My friend had been using a concoction made locally by on individual whoso knowledge of the principles of dipping was very elementary; in fact, ho had simply got together a combination of carbolic acid, tar, soda, and other chemicals, and so long as it was black-lookyig stuff, and sufficiently strong to kill lice. keds. etc., it was satisfactory. I pointed out to my friend that the sheep had been punished, that the woo! has been robbed of much of its natural preservative—i.e., yolk, and and that the fleeces stood a far bettor chance of “cutting” than they would have done if a proper dip had l>een used. Also, owing to the open character of the fleeces the sheep were very poorly equipped for utandinsr heavy rains and tire rigours of an English winter. These are only simple points, but I maintain that they are quite as applicable- to the. colonial pastorahst as they are to an English sheep-farmer, and because of tins fact the subject is well worth considering.

CAUSTIC SODA. I hardly think I should have handled this subject to-day but for a communication I have received from a correspondent in South Africa calling my attention t" the frequent use of caustic soda as a sheep, dinping ingredient. T fail to see any wisdom in using such a deleterious mixture. Ever since men knew anything about wool, thev iiavo said with one unanimous voice, “Keep caustic Sofia and lime ns far away from wool as possible ” I repent the statement to-day with a« much emphasis as possible, for jt is simply suicidal from a wool-grower s standpoint to use either caustic soda or lime in connection with sheep dips. A few ■yoaxs afro a keen battle was waged throughout South' Africa against lime and sulphur. The "Bradford wool trade was asked to give its verdict upon lime nnd pulphur as well as caustic soda and sulphur, and the verdict against these two preparations was as plain and emphatic as possible, t am certain that if a canvass was made to-day of ;he entire wool world there would

not ba a single practical man who would | speak in favour of the use of these mixtures. . Let me briefly explain the action of these sheep-dipping materials upon the . fleece. I readily agree that they vvill soon, destroy all parasitic life, and while they ! are doing that they are also injuring the growing fleece. When caustic aoda and lime come in contact with the growing fleece they always produce a “perishing effect upon it. It only needs a certain strength of caustic soda to entirely dissolve the wool fibre, and I candidly say that it is too dangerous and harmful a commodity to be used by any wool-grower. If a man were walking near a dangerous precipice, a wise counsellor would direct, him as far from the edge as possible; and I say the same about dangerous sheep <aps. Whatever inflicts injury on the growing fleece should bo left alone. Caustic soda and lime rob the fibres of their preservative—namely, the yolk winch Nature has supplied in order to benefit the growing fleece. I am certain that South African pastoralists, and those who hitherto have been sa.tVif.cd to use home-made preparations in a crude form, are losing more than they gain, and above all I would say leave alone those chemicals the action of which is too fiery when they come in contact with such a delicate fibre as wool. I hold no brief for any sheep-dipping preparation. The motive that prompts; these remarks is to benefit the wool-grower, and I say candidly that an arsenical powder din is the safest that can bo used. Carbolic dips are too volatile in their action, and in 24 hours the sheep are liable to bo “stiuck” with fly, or oven scab. The same cannot nc said of an arsenical powder dip when properly and scientifically made. I have always maintained that sheep should bo armed against fly attacks. By using the dip recommended a certain amount is deposited on the skin in powder form, and prevents the eggs of the fly hatching out into maggots. In conclusion, I would say arm the sheep against fly attacks, but, use that class of dip which promotes the health of the cheep. In that way the foundation will bo laid for the production of a good fleece of wool, and that is what the trade wants.

WAITING FOE LONDON TO OPEN. There is really not much change to report in the wool market. The trade is quietly awaiting the opening of the sixth series of London sales, which begin next Tuesday, and I expect a fairly good time will bo experienced. Overseas advices are to the effect that prices are still firm, and this has had its natural effect upon top-makei-s. The fact is, no one can aflbrd to take less money than they have been doing, and unless they can command the prices which they are asking, topmakers are still assuming an attitude of reserve. Most business has been done during the past week for immediate delivery. There does not seem to be about the market any weight of fine tops which are available for immediate consumption, and, as far as I can sea, this is going to be the principal factor at the forthcoming series of sales. It is possible to-day to obtain 25-jd for 64’s tons for immediate delivery, but I would point out that when the last series of London sales closed topmakers were able to sell at a penny more. On the-face of it. it therefore looks as if prices will decline a little. Some scorn to think that merinos will fall a good 7j. ; per cent., but my view is that more buying power will he manifest than the majority expect, and I shall Ire greatly surprised if the decline is more than 5 per cent. There continues to be an excellent consumption of merinos, which undoubtedly is the best asset of the trade to-day. I cannot say that there is great confidence in the permanence of today’s values. Political oompheations arc making many uneasy. If there wore no labour troubles, and the outlook was clearer, the trade would again bound forward ; but we have to take things as they are, and make the best of them.