UTILISING THE INFERIOR PARTS OF A FLEECE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3034, 8 May 1912, Page 19

UTILISING THE INFERIOR PARTS OF A FLEECE.

tyomo day I nope to give a caaptcr on sorting wool, but every practical woolgrower and milknan knows that as a fleece comes from tho sheep's back it varies considerably in quality, length, and condition. No man would think of putting the britch with the shoulder wool if he were- engaged in producing even an average line of fabrics; hence arises the necessity for sorting all fleeces. Australian squatters ara to-day so expert in this work that the majority take the trouble to skirt the fleeces, and remove the britch. belly, and neck. Those different classes are baled separately, thus assisting the buyer in his work of valuation. Whoever instituted-the proper method of skirting and classing the various parts of a shorn fleece ought to be honoured, and well deserves recognition as cue of the pioneers of tho Australian wool industry. There are many buyers who frequent the various selling centres in tho world who want combing wools, others desire pieces, some broken, and others locks. I could name several firms who are very iru- ] portant buyers of colonial merinos, who ; manufacture fabrics exclusively mode from locks, and 90 per cent, of their purchaser consist of. this special description. Thoss who make, tops, pass by every bale o{ locks, simply because they are useless fo< that purpose. Here we have one reason why Japanese buyers now secure greasy /combing wools, while English manufacturers of arrny goods also purchaso some fairly big weights of good broken, necks, and sound pieces. Let no reader think for a moment that such useful descriptiont of wool as broken pieces, necks, and bellies do not make good cloth; in fact, some of the smartest ladies' costume cloths which are on the market to-day are "all wool," and are mado purely and simply from the locks to which I have already referred. Those who are not familiar with carbonised locks—that is, locks from which every particle of shiv, seed, and burr has beon re* moved—would hardly believe the appearance they present when the short-stapled fibres are opened out on the carding machino; and when the wool is afterward spun it produces a very good yarn indeed. Good shafty necks, broken and piece*, are, of course, more bulky than locks, and if sound are admirably suited for producing good fabrics. I do not know the conditions insisted upon by the Japanese War Offico respecting the strength of the cloths they buy for army purposes, but tho British Government have some high testa, and before it is passed for use every pieca is tested by a specially constructed machine, which shows at once the breaking point of tho warp and weft employed in making the piece in question. This is an important operation, and it serves excellent purposes. It simply means that manufacturers producing fabrics for the army, navy, and police (for all cloths mode for the Government undergo a similar test) must buy wool very sound in staple, and weak or tender raw material is altogether useless for the purpose named. Th 3 reader will therefore see how important it is that tho "breaking strain" of wool should boa» high as possible, for we all know that tender raw material can never produo© sound, wearable fabrics. Growers should endeavour to produce satisfactory fleeces, otherwise thero can easily be limited competition and decreased prices, while manufacturers need not ho told that if they want sound, really first-class goods, they must buy raw material which shows these necessary and important characteristics. WOOL VALUES UNCHANGED. It almost seems superfluous this week to say anything at all about wool conditions, for with the coal strike still uppermost, in the commercial world, we hardly knowwhere we are. The strike has now been going on for three weeks, all the rcscrv* supplies of coal aro about exhausted, ano at the end of this week there will be standin? mills and factories on all hands. Many mills in the Bradford district have been on short time for a fortnight, and now nol a few aro confronted with the sad exportonce of being compelled to close theif doors. This is to be regretted for many reasons, and all the more so when it arrests consumption and spoils what appeared likely to be a good market. It is really summing how steady wool values are, and although one hardly likes to venture k on opinion regarding the future, various views are expressed regarding the outlook. Coml- - wool combers appear to have been tho worst handled so far os regards nob being able to keep their plants running l full time; consequently the output of topi has been greatly reduced. For those in a position to make quick delivery of spot lots it is yet possible to secure a full market price, but unquestionably less business has been doing this week in tops than for a month past. Spinnera are now faced with having to stand, for a big stock of tops is no iwo if .they cannot be put through the drawinsr and spinning operations. However, 64's tops are still worth

25d, and some will not sell under Jd more. Taking a broad view of textile manufacturing conditions in the West Riding, it must be said that progress has been arrested by the continuance of the coal strike, and grave fears are expressed that the blow which has been inflicted upon the general trade of Great Britain will also curtail the demand for woollen and worsted fabrics during the coining spring and summer seasons.