TRIBUTE TO ROMNEY WOOL

Taranaki Daily News, 19 February 1931, Page 5

TRIBUTE TO ROMNEY WOOL

QUALITY OF DOMINION’S CLIP.

RESULT OF ENGLISH RESEARCH.

By Telegraph.—Press Association. , Masterton, Last Night.

Speaking at Solway to-day at the presentation of the challenge trophy for the Farmers' Union fleece competition Mr. William Perry, president of the Royal Agricultural Society, dealt interestingly with national aspects ,of wool production. Mr. Perry said that Mr. Sidey, of Canterbury Agricultural College, who had recently been at Home studying wool \

questions at the wool research station, had expressed the opinion to him that Romney wool was equal in quality to Corriedaje. Statements had been made at Home that Corriedale was the wool and that New Zealand growers ought to breed their wool to that standard, but that argument had practically been disproved. One was of practically as good quality as the other. Romney wool of round fibre made first-class worsted cloth.

He was very pleased to say that the wool of Romney sheep in the North Island—he could not speak about the South Island—was very much better than it was three or four- years ago. He believed that if what had’ been done were followed up New Zealand in a few years’ time would again have the reputation it formerly enjoyed of producing the best -wool' in the. world. The head of one of tlie big woollen firms at Home had told/him in Wellington that there was a great shortage of what they called preparing wool—wool of long staple and fair sized fibre. Two (kinds of wool were wanted at horric, this long staple wool and wool of finer, quality. Growers should concentrate on producing one or the other. Mr. Perry advocated getting a qualified man to go round New Zealand advising farmers on the selection of sheep for wool production. If this were done a wonderful improvement would be witnessed in a few years.