LINCOLN SHEEP AND WOOL.

Otago Witness, Issue 3085, 30 April 1913, Page 17

LINCOLN SHEEP AND WOOL.

DEMAND FOR EXCEPTIONAL STAPLE. The statements made by the wool instructor at the School of Mines, Adclaic.e, some months ago with regard to an American demand for Lincoln wool of exceptional staple are the subject of an article in the Pastoralists’ Review. The writer (Mr S. B Rollings, of Bradford) remarks:— “ Mr Honshaw Jackson, of Adelaide, has drawn attention to a subject which is well worth looking at from a general producer s standpoint, and, after all, directly affects all who are concerned in the production of Lincoln sheep and wool. Here wo have a subject which is of great importance to many, not only in Australasia, but also in the River Plate and England, and it will well repay even the average breeder of sheep. No man can have too much information about a breed of sheep, even though he himself is not directly engaged in breeding that particular class of animal, and m Lincoln sheep and wool wo have a topic that is almost as old as the hills. It is quite true that even Lincoln breeders are to a largo extent indebted to Bakewell for founding this very useful breed of sheep, and although Bakcwcll’s Leicesters were employed in the eighteenth century to improve the Lincoln breed, the later generation of Lincoln breeders have done a great and grand work in the same direction. The Lincoln sheep world suffered a serious loss in February, when the late Mr Henry Dudding passed away, for his name will for centuries to come be associated with bringing the breed to the front ami making for it a world-wide name. The breed has certainly stepped to the front in a remarkable manner during the past 25 years; but it would never have snono in the colonial trade as much as it does but for the frozen mutton industry, and one reason why I am disposed to discuss Lincoln sheep' and woo! is that the breed is being somewhat neglected by the rank and file in New Zealand. I do' not know how far the situation warrants this seeming neglect, but no doubt it will be largely a question of £ s. d. which is at the bottom of the present slackness in the breeding and rearing of this useful sheep. A GOOD ALL-ROUND SHEEP. “ The animal that bears the name of the Lincoln is deserving of a front rank position among the English breeds winch can be termed as general utility sheep. I am well aware of the fact that climate and pasturage are the chief determining factors in deciding what breed should bo kept; but when all is said and done the Lincoln is an animal that is wprth favourable consideration. It is the largest of any of the mutton breeds, and i- also the producer of tne heaviest fleece. In other words, a person wanting flesh and wool will find it difficult to beat the Lincoln, although no doubt there are other points connected with other sheep which to some extent outweigh it. The number of sheep in New Zealand, as shown in returns published last April, discloses the fact that there has been a sensible falling off among the pure breeds of tho number of Lincolns compared with 1909. Tho stud Lincolns in (hat year totalled 119,563 sheep, whereas in 1912 the total was 94,545. This is a falling off which many wooihuyers in particular regret to see, for the complaint has been general during the past two or three years that deepstapled coarse woo! lias been a diminishing quantity among tho New Zealand wools sold in that country, and also in Coleman Street I can confirm ibis from my own personal experience, for attending every series of London sales one is given the opportunity of inspecting all the wools which come from Australia and New Zealand. All are agreed that during tho past four to five years there has been a marked increase in the production of mediij.ruquality wool, while 36’s to 40’s has shown a corresponding reduction. 1 do not say that this is good or bad for the trade; but we all know that when there is a surplus of one quality and a shortage in the other, it is the latter which brings a relatively higher price. It would be a calamity to the wool trade if all Now Zealand pasforalists kept the Lincoln, or tho Romney, or the Leicester, or any other single breed of sheep. Just as variety is the spice of life, so it is also an acceptable factor in tho wool trade; but, all the same, to find a marked falling off in the character and quality of the wool comma: to market != by no means desirable. Still, wool men Invito take matters as they are, and make the best of them. One would think that, with Lincoln wool worth to-day lOjd to ll£d per lb in London, it would pav a grower quite as well as, say. to 12i,d for a medium-quality wool, for in the former ho would have a larger weight to reckon, and also a larger carcase for the freezing establishments. LINCOLN WOOL CHARACTERISTICS. “ It must bo said that in Lincoln woo! we have the brightest and most lustrous raw material of all wool. I daresay that Wensleydale will probably be as lustrous; but when the weight per sheep is taken into consideration, there is no other breed that can equal the Lincoln. I daresay some 50 to 40 years ago Bradford manufacturers learned the art of manipulating Lincoln wool, it being the ‘lustre dress goods’ which helped to popularise Bradford and bring its products before the world. The reader must not forget that, when there was no merino wool available, spinners end manufacturers in (he West- Riding utilised to advantage the various classes of English-grown wool —in fact, in the early days there was no other class of raw material to use except that grown throughout the United Kingdom, and by constant use and the_ frequent improvement in machinery. Bradford spinners and manufacturers became so expert in bundling lustre wools that these bright fabrics were appreciated in every market in the world; hence, when Now Zealand pastoralists 1 egan to cross the merino with the Lincoln. Bradford spinners and manufacturers were quite -able to handle the new classes of raw material, and to day Lincoln-merino

wool i> looked upon with considerable favour by those using crossbred sorts. A very big trade is done in what are known as lustre yarns, these being largely shipped to Germany and other Continental markets, all for the production of dress fabrics, plain serges, etc. It is a fact that when this wool is worked up and even dyed into various shades, it loses none of its inherent lustre, and that is one thing that helps to popularise this class of material. I do not for a moment think that there has been any depreciation m the lustre of the wool from the sheep exported to New Zealand and bred in that climate, compared with the wools grown in Lincolnshire. I would like to go a step further and say that if we compare purebred Lincoln which has been produced in West Victoria with the Lincoln wool grown hero in England, it will bo found that the former, if anything, possesses a more brilliant appearance t’nan the home-grown article, this all being due to climate and pasturage. But when all is said and done. Lincoln woo! is a splendid article, and it is to be hoped that it will never bc_ banned by the graziers of Australia and Now Zealand. LENGTH AN IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION. “Mr Honshaw Jackson in his article mentioned (lie fact that a New York wool and mohair merchant is keen to buy Lincoln wool showing l2in in length irom line many communications I have had from Mr Levussove, I know that what Mr Jackson says is correct, but I think I am justified in saving that he wants a good deal longerstapled wool than l2in, though probably ho would not despise t’nat length. I know for a fact that here in Bradford ho has instituted many inquiries for combing wool 20in long, and think this would suit him far better than 12in. here is no difficulty in growing a 12in staple on Lincoln hog.gs, and this New York gentleman is quite prepared to pay fancy prices for wool showing extraordinary lengi'u. Hero in England, when hog.gs are shorn in the month of May. they are often carrying a fleece of 15 months’ growth; consequently it is no uncommon thing to see the staple from 12in to 15in in length. These arc grand fleeces, and often weigh 101 b cac’n and over. Here, I say, we have a wealth of wool, for such fleeces are to-day worth in Bradford from lljd to 12d per lb when washed in the usual English fashion. Mr Levussove appears to be quite prepared to pay double this price, and if that is so it should be a paying game to t'iio grower. LINCOLN-MERINO CROSSBRED WOOL. “This topic really comes to my mind because of the quantity of Lincoln-merino crossbred wool which New Zealand pastoralists arc producing. I say the cross is a useful ami acceptable one when viewed from a grower’s standpoint. I am not here marshalling this cross against that of the Leicester or the Romney, for all three are useful and good. Eac’a one shows a somewhat different characteristic, and I say that pastoralists must decide for themselves which pays the best. The Lincoln-merino breeds all give acceptable length, but somewhat lower in quality than either the Leicester or Romney. There are other compensating features in the lustre and appearance of the wool. I should say that, on an average, the Lincoln-merino cross will bo three to five spinning counts lower than the Leicester, while the Romnoymcrino cross will be finer still. The Lincoln cross gives a more solid, brighter handling wool, and for some purposes it suits admirably. I mention i',iis fact to allay any fear in the minds of growers us to the wisdom of using the Lincoln. As a good all-round general fleece it will be hard to beat, though if I had any prejudice I should probably lean to the Leicester At the same time let no breeder of freezers throw overboard what ho has found to bo a good paying cross. All crosses are very useful, and climate and pastoral conditions must decide which c-roes to adopt. LINCOLN FLEECE FORTY YEARS OLD. “Recently I had a communication from a Lincolnshire woolstaplrr to the effect that lie had shifted 10,500 fleeces of Lincoln wool, a large portion of which was 40 years old. It, appears that a number of years ago a well-known Lincolnshire agriculturist, who has recently died, was smitten with a foolish fad. Ho had made up his mind to sell at 3gs per tod of 2811 b. and having) only had £3 bid, he piled up his clip year after year until it totalled about 10.500 fleeces. I suppose that would be in 1872, when Lincoln wool fetched a tremendous price. The old man having died, his executors naturally wanted to realise bio estate, and so sold the wool. It is remarkable, hut the stapler informs me personally that to the surprise of everyone the material opened up in .good condition. Although a good portion of the clip was shorn 30 to 40 years ago. there was no stain in (he wool; in fact, to use his own words, ‘lt came out sti-ong and good in colour.’ The nlace in which it had bfen stored was a large granary, the fleeces having been protected from the walls bv poles. The man who packed it is 86 years of ago. and ho h-ars testimony to fhe excellent condition of the wool, notwithstanding its age. I have been fortunate in obtaining a sample of this wool, and I must admit that it is in evrellent condition, and shows first-class '"•ceding characteristics. Th-- bulk of it is 36’s finality, and it is certainly wonderful) to see such a clip to-day.”