NOTES ON WOOL-CLASSING.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume XXII, Issue 1, 20 January 1921, Page 33

NOTES ON WOOL-CLASSING.

J. G. COOK,

Wool Instructor, Live-stock Division.

In no other work is one called upon to adapt himself to circumstances more than in wool-classing. It is necessary to vary the procedure according to the clip one is handling, as indicated in the following notes, which are supplementary to the writer’s article, “ Wool-handling at Shearing-time," published in the Journal for November, 1020. ’

MIXED FLOCKS.

Two leading examples will •be given, the first being fairly typical of South Island conditions. This flock is a mixed one of about three thousand sheep, all carrying clean, strong, shafty wool, and consisting of half-breds, three-quarter-breds, crossbreds, and merinos. The majority being half-breds, two classes should be made of that fleece wool. Into the first wool-bin put the finest and best fleeces, and after it is pressed brand the bale “ A Combing Half-bred." Into the second bin put the coarser and heavier-conditioned fleeces, branding the bale “ B Combing Half-bred." Into the third bin put the finest and best of the three-quarter-bred fleeces, branding the bale “ A Combing Three-quarter-bred.” Into the fourth bin can be put the coarsest of the

three-quarter-bred and the crossbred fleeces, as it will be found they are of about the same spinning-quality ; and as there will be only one line of this, brand ‘the bale “Crossbred Combing.” The fifth bin will be used for the merino fleeces, and the bale branded “ Merino Combing,” as there is only one line. Farmers could save a great deal of this cutting-up if they would breed and keep to only one or two lines, thus reducing the number of classes to a minimum and enabling the clip to be put up in larger lines, which is more convenient at sale-time.

The other example will be a flock —-such as very commonly found in the North Islandcomprising . Romney, Romney crossbreds, and Lincoln crossbreds. Here we have three distinct lines, and they must be kept separate from each other. These sheep as a rule grow strong shafty. combing-wool, and if the lines are in equal proportion A and B combing should be made in each line.

SEEDY CLIPS.

Sometimes the whole clip is seedy, and if there is only one breed of sheep on the place two classes should be made, one containing the fleeces which are slightly seedy and the other those which are carrying the most seed. The former should be entered in the wool-book as “ Slightly Seedy ” and the latter “ Very Seedy.” In the event of the flock being a mixed one and all the wool seedy, keep each line separate from the others and enter it according to whichever line it belongs, such as Seedy Romney Marsh,” Seedy Romney Cross,” Seedy Lincoln Cross,” “ Seedy Merino,” and so on.

DINGY CLIPS.

In some seasons the whole clip is dingy, and if there is only one line of sheep on the farm two classes should be made of the fleece wool. One class will embody all the strong fleeces which will stand the tension of the combing-machine ; the other class will take in all the weak tender fleeces. Enter the former line as “ Dingy Combing ” and the latter as “ Dingy Clothing.” If the flock is a mixed one and all dingy, keep each line separate from the others and enter it according to whichever it belongs, as follows : “ Half-bred Dingy,” “ Crossbred Dingy,” “ Merino Dingy,” and other lines in the same way.

WOOL-BOOK ENTRIES.

, The farmer or person acting for him should remember to enter in the wool-book the description of wool in each bale as soon as possible after the bale is out of the press, thus obviating errors, and the book will always stand as a record for reference purposes.

Departmental Exhibits at Shows.— The Department has decided to revive to a limited extent the practice of making instructional displays at certain agricultural shows, the temporary discontinuance of which was rendered necessary during the war. The exhibits work will be in charge of Mr. A. Macpherson, late Fields Instructor at Christchurch, as in the past.