OUR YORKSHIRE LETTER.

Otago Witness, Issue 3274, 13 December 1916, Page 11

OUR YORKSHIRE LETTER.

(FIIOM OPU S'fECTAL ConnEsvoNnENV) BRADFORD, October 12. CRUTCHINGS AND THEIR U&ES. The announcement that the New Zealand Government has decided to allow the exportation or crutchings to the United States directs attrition to a matter which is of interest both to the woollen and worsted trades of Great Britain; aim, as the matter has never been discussed in any pajjer, I will say something to-day concerning crutchings. Every sheepman knows what they are, and every v.'oolman is aware that no sheep grows an absolutely uniform ileece, for not only is there a marked difference in quality between the shoulder and fcho briteh, but also considerable difference in the condition ot the wool. I believe I am right in saying that crutchings are only a modern innovation among colonial pastoralists. In the old days sheep were never crutched, the discoloured part of the briteh (for that really constitutes crutchings) being skirted off the shorn fleece and largely sold as discoloured pieces. This ;s what actually obtains to-day among merinos, for where a man owns from 3000 to_IU,OCO sheep the operation of crutehing is impossible. WHAT ARE CRUTCHINGS? As already indicated, the term crutchings is more or less a modern one in the sheep and wool world, particularly the latter. Old woolmen never heard that term, the stained part of the fleece caused by urino and dung all being spoken of as stained pieces; but nowadays, particularly among New Zealand crossbred sheepmen, they are always spoken of as crutchings There are a few merino sheepmen who crutch their sheep; but they are by no means numerous, on account of the impossibility of dealing extensively with a number of sheep on account of a lack of hands. But that is not so among the pastoralists of New Zealand. Of course, there are men there carrying 5000 to 10,000 sheep; but such holdings are the exceptions. conditions there very largely bemg a duplicate of what they are hero in Great Britain. Crutehing is regarded as part of the life of the pastoralist, and crutehing sales aro held regularly at the various selling centres throughout the Dominion. The average woolman, particularly he who is not conversant with pastoral life in the colonics, wants to know why this is done. Everybody knows that sheep carry a good deal of dirt on their hindquarters, and in summer-time, when they are very liable to bo "struck" with maggot fly, the fly always lays it 3 eggs in the dirtiest part of the fleeces; and therefore pastoralists gather their sheep, and, with a pair of hand shears, every sheep if crutched. This simply means the removal of the dirtiest wool growing behind the sheep. It is not only a preventive of the maggot fly, but also increases the comfort of _ the sheep, and even that is,.-a consideration. Maggot fly is a serious menace to the pastoralists of our colonies; and if merino sheep could be crutched in a similar manner, it would save many u death. Of course, the best preventive of sheep being struck with the maggot fly is dipping the animals in a sulphur arsenic bath, the powder dips on the market being by far the most valuable not only for killing the maggot fly. but in arming the sheep against further attacks. Anvonc can see that if a sheep is clean there will bo less groundwork for harbouring the eggs of the fly, and this is an important matter in maintaining the health of the flock. As already indicated, regular crutehing sales are held at the shipping ports throughout New Zealand, those always taking place at intervals after the regular season's sale are over. I find no fault with the Government granting the privilege to American buyers to purchase crutchincrs, and therefore a few words on their general uses will be acceptable. PURPOSES TO WHICH CRUTCHINGS ARE PUT. Generally, when a farmer has crutched his sheep, he is prepared to sell the wool shorn, in the grease, or, if a scouring establishment is within easy distance, they are scoured and then sold. But these scouring establishments are few and far between; consequently the bulk of the crutchings are sold and bought locally. When a big pile has been got together by a produce merchant or local dealer, ihat individual sends the crutchings to a scourer, for_ very sol dom. indeed, are crutchings sold in London in the greasy state. I strongly recommend all crutchings being scoured before being sent Home for sale or use. Of course, crutchings are bought mostly in the grease at such centres as Wellington. Napier. Christehurch and Duncdin, there being scouring establishments at nil these centres If a buyer is wisely advised he will sort these crutchings, dirty as the job may be. into qualities, for it pays well to do so. The reader will easily see that it is useless mixing together crutchings from good halfbred sheep and those from coarse cross breds, because the purposes to which these wools' can be put vary very considerably. I repeat that it pays any man handling a fair weight of crutchings to sortthem, and ho need make only two qualities—say : a fine and a coarse, —putting the medium crossbrods with the coarse ones; though, if he had a sufficient quantity, he could as easily make three classes as two. dividing them into coarse, medium, and fine. Of course, if a merino shcep-breedor cares to oruteh his sheep, then he will have only one quality, and these can bo sold as they are, or scoured, whichever way is the most convenient.

I have seen crutch in,gs that wore a good colour, though never except when special care has been taken to sort them previous to scouring. As a rule the bylk of the crutchings are discoloured, being what-some peon!" call " brown ends." The staple usually is by no means loiicr; but if a short, discoloured, carded top is wanted, they are conibod. although the. bulk of the wools arc suitable only for woollen manufacturing purposes. As a rule crutchings arc sound. They do very well indeed for the production of crossbred woollen tweeds; they can bo used in brown blankets, and are a very useful commodity indeed in the production of khaki cloths; hence we find that these wools are very lamely bought to be worked up on tho woollen principle, as separate and distinct from being combed for worsted yarns. Of course, they can bo combed into a carded top; but that will depend en-

tirely upon the length of the staple and the condition and character of the wool. At the same time, the bulk of the crutchings are suitable for only woollen yarns; hence they are largely taken for this purpose by Scotch and Yorkshire manufacturers. RIERINO CRUTCHINGS. 1 have said very little about merino crutchings for the reason given. These are mostly sold as discoloured or stained pieces, and here again, if they are bulky enough, they are combed into a discoloured top. though they do admirably for dyeing purposes for the woollen trade, and are very largely bought by manufacturers. Because wool is discoioured by the excrement of the sheep, it is seldom weakened in strength, and when scoured, dyed, and worked up into a piece, no man can tell what it was originally. All that has to be done m to get ml of as much dirt as possible, for the remaining fibre is a most useful commodity, and is fetching very good values to-day. The writer well remembers the first wool h>e bought at the London sales when but a lad of 18 summers. They were scoured Sydney stained pieces, for which he paid 10\j,d, a similar lot of wool to-day being well worth the top side of 2s a lb. They were taken and dyed, and produced some excellent woollen cloths; and what obtained ib years ago obtains still. These have always found an outlet in the trade, and always will do so long as sheep grow wool, and cloth is mado on the woollen principle.

BRADFORD MARKET CONDITIONS. Thero has been a good attendance on 'Change this week, but no great development in the way of actual business. Values for tops are generally firm, and a fair amount of selling is still being done in Botanies and fine crossbrods. A sale that has been held at Adelaide has directed attention to the raw material, and private cabled information appears to be somewhat in conflict with what is actually published, though it appears to be possible to buy in Australia on a basis which is fairly reasonable compared with the prices current for tops in Bradford to-day. Even if the cost of the raw material is decidedly below what can bo made here for the combed article, thero are other factors to be taken into consideration, all of which will tend to keep up the price of tops. For one thing it will- be a long time before wool bought now reaches the combs, during which period there will be an accumulation of interest, etc., which will have to be added to the initial cost. There have been rumours of loading topmaking firms being disposed to accept concessions for forward business in merino qualities; but to-day nothing can be bought in the market really cheap, and the price of an average 64's is still maintained at 4s 5d per lb, with a penny more for a, super top.