OUR YORKSHIRE LETTER.

Otago Witness, Issue 3957, 14 January 1930, Page 17

OUR YORKSHIRE LETTER.

A STARTLING SUGGESTION ABOUT CAPE WOOL. ANNUAL SHEARING THE BEST FOR ALL GROWERS. (From Our Special Correspondent.) BRADFORD, November 7. The value of technical research to the wool textile industry is well recognised in the West Riding of Yorkshire. It is known that, allied with practical experience in the mills, valuable assistance to the extension of trade has been given by a knowledge of the chemical content of -wool, the use of the microscope, an understanding of the laws of Nature in sheep breeding, and a multitude of other things which space does not permit to be mentioned here. The training pro- ' ided by the technical colleges and univeisities has at least afforded an opportunity to acquire a liking for accurate information, to learn that loose methods <ue undesirable, and that observation of natural phenomena and mathematical acv-uiacy are by no means to be despised in making a living out of the fleece of the sheep, either in producing it for others to manufacture or in making it into tops, yarns, and piece goods. ° In view of all this, one is naturally predisposed to listen with respect to any pronouncement emanating from one in such a high and responsible position as that held by Professor A. F. Barker, head of the textile department of Leeds I niversity. There are times, however, when one is rather disposed to think tiiat there is not sufficient co-operation or understanding between the technical and practical sides of the industry. A STARTLING SUGGESTION.

.A 11 example of this seems to be provided by certain statements made by Professor Barker following his tour in South Africa, and his attendance at a. session of the agricultural section of the British Association at Capetown. It is unnecessary here to go into all the details of the process by which Professor Barker lias reached his conclusions, for these are obviously wrong to all members of the trade who have any knowledge of Cape wool. ’

Writing to the Journal of Textile Science, the Professor said: “At present t l - e ci ape IS i •7 ll , earin - a 10-months’ growth of fibre, which appears to meet the requirements of certain British manufacture!«. lhe French manufacturers are asking the woolgrowers of the Cape and further north to shear an emhtmonths growth. Cape and other wool-growei-s have produced 64’s merino fleeces up to 121 b. Certain districts in South Atl *Y a and elsewhere, owing to climaticconditions, can shear when they wish to do so. and consequently to any desired length. Labour being cheap, it may actually be economically sounder to shear two. three, or four times a year rather than one. There will also be the additional advantage of quick financial returns. The suggestion therefore arises that, instead of letting the sheep grow a 12-months (or even eight or ten months’) fleece, thereby creating difficulties which the manufacturer may only be able partially to overcome, the wool should be sheared to manufacturing requirements—say from lin to the maximum length of the staple, just as required. Thus if a 121 b merino fleece attains a 12-months’ growth of Bin, then, instead of one shearing of Sin. two shearing of 4m or four shearings of 2in might be adopted.” LENGTH OF C APE WOOL.

Unfortunately for Professor Barker, the average length of 12-months’ Cape wool is nothing like gin. About 3'in is the length, and the writer is not aware that even French manufacturers have ever asked specially for Gape wool of eight-months’ growth. Professor Barker’s suggestion has nothing behind it to justify putting it into operation. A very big variety of wools of all qualities, lengths of staple, etc., are now being grown in South Africa. Australia, and other parts of the world. Users have made no demand for Cape wool to be shorn more fi equently than once a year or for anything to be done to provide varying lengths of staple. The outstanding feature about Cape wool during the past 25 years has been the increase in its popularity and market value, following the introduction of better methods of breeding the sheep and preparing the wool for market and the increase in the number of farmers who shear annually. Not a single buyer or user of Cape wool would appreciate any move towards the reintroduction of bi-annual shearing, let alone shearing three or four times a year. Professor Barker evidently having got his idea whilst on tour in South Africa suggests that its application is to Cape wool only, and the secretary of the British Wool Federation, on the instigation of his members, has written a letter to the press pointing out the absurdity of the whole thing. The writer has, however, given a fair amount of detail about the case because he is not quite sure whether Professor Barker would confine his suggestion to Cape wool. It would be just as reasonable to argue the desirability of shearing Australian or New Zealand sheep two or three times a year to ee t. some specified length of staple. The whole thing exposes itself to ridicule in various ways, for, as the colonial end of the trade is well aware, there is already any amount of scope for buyers so far as length of staple is concerned. and this is saying nothing at all about quality and other characteristics. A NEEDLESS CRITICISM. Other points might be raised about Professor Barker’s suggestions, but I have briefly outlined here the impression they have created in Bradford. Commenting on his own article, Professor Barker has said: “It is not unfair to say that to-day British and Continental manufacturers are producing no better botany surges than they did 25 years ago. Such fabrics leave much to be de-

sired from the perfection of structure point of view.” If Professor Barker is thinking about the great variations found in top quality standards in Bradford the writer would be disposed to go some little way in agreement with him, but it is very doubtful indeed whether it will ever be possible to attain such rigid standardisation as the mathematically minded technician might desire. It is possible to become so accustomed to defining staple length in inches and quality by fractions of an inch in diameter that one is completely lost in the practical work of judging top qualities or forming ideas of the spinning value of wool or the manufacturing value of yarn. In any event it may be asked whether British manufacturers need to produce anv better botany serges than they did 25 years ago. 'they can get the wool, they have the machinery, and the best technical skill combined with practical experience in their mills, and it is difficult indeed to see where they are lacking. Their complaint has been that they have been beaten on the question of price only, and, after all, the economic test is vital. Meanwhile, if Professor Barker and his staff at Leeds can show our manufacturers how to make cloths which wiil sell readily in big quantities, the writer has no doubt that they will De quite willing to be taught. It may be taken that growers in Australia would also appreciate such a development. It would have been specially welcome if it had come along when importers wore struggling with their dear imports. jf Professor Barker could have risen to the occasion in this way he would have won for himself much greater fame than is likely t > come to him as a consequence of his fantastic suggestion about shearing sheep at such time as will give a specified lem'ih of staple.