OUR YORKSHIRE LETTER.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2379, 21 December 1908, Page 2

OUR YORKSHIRE LETTER.

LUSTRE WOOLS. [From Our Special Correspondent.] BRADFORD, November 6. No man at all conversant with the ' wjool trade can survey the entire field without being struck with the fact that there is a great variety of raw materials ; the numerous qualities,' styles, length, and other characteristics forming leading essentials in connection with every breed of sheep,. This did not use to be the case, those in the trade who are now old well remembering the time when wool siipplies presented a far different choice to what is the case to-day. Twentylive to thirty years ago tbo differentvarieties of crossbreds now before the trade were practically an unknown quantity, the only really goodsupplies being grown in the United Kingdom. The great export of English mutton sires to New Zealand and the River Plate has transformed 1 the character of wools from these two countries considerably, and to-day practically one half the world’s clip is of a crossbred character. This has given to manufacturers a far greater variety than used to be the case, and with the multiplication of qualities, real good has attended the trade. Instead ol the principal fabrics worn by men being produced out of fine merino wool, crossbreds are being largely manipulated, and some very sightly fabrics indeed are being produced in the shape of tweeds and serges. What more servicablc cloth is there than a nice crossbred indigo serge? These are always in fashion, and always look well; though bub for the colonial crossbred, which is largely the product of the English mutton sire mated with the merino, . these fabrics would never have been worn like they are. In producing these results English lustre breeds, in the shape of the Lincoln and Leicester, havo played an important part, and a few thoughts on lustre wool cannot but appeal to a large number of readers. WHAT BREEDS GROW LUSTRE WOOLS ?

It is well worth asking, what breeds of sheep produce lustrous wool ? Preeminently the Lincoln stands head and shoulders above all other sheep, and it has played a leading part m giving to the world wool of. a very useful and practical character. Of all the known breeds of sheep the Lincoln produces the most lustrous fleece, and it is a wonderful phenomenon to see the bright, shining, silvery appearance of a Lincoln staple. Next to this breed is one that possesses considerable merit, but is hardly so wellknown, namely, the Wensleydale. This is a much finer quality wool, of somewhat different character, and very little, if any, befow the lustre oi the Lincoln. It's merits for crossing with Scottish ewes for the production of halfbred lambs is too well known, and is somewhat outside the subject, though a slight passing reference to its principal uses should bo mentioned. Then come the Leicester, and here again wo get from this breed a nice, stylish lustrous staple, though somewhat below the standard of the Lincoln so far as lustre is concerned. This, I suppose, is one of the oldest breeds of British sheep, -and it certainly has proved its usefulness as a grower of good saleable wool. The tact, I think, .should be recorded for the benefit of home and colonial readers . that a greasy Leicester-merino halfbred avool, grown in West Victor, was actually sold this year in London at- the noble price of Is 6d per lb., which is the year’s record for crossbred wool, and considering the slump there has been this is indeed a splendid performance. Leicester wool, as a rule, is finer in quality than Lincoln ; it is hardly so strong in character, and is of a very useful stamp. What is known in the trade as good Yorkshire hogs also come under the head of lustres, the finest being produced in the Ripon district of that country. Various views -are held concerning the origin of these sheep, and it would be a very profitable to get to know from what stock they have really sprung. Being grown mostly on the Yorkshire Wolds I am strongly inclined to think that whatever the breed, Leicester blood predominates. LEADING CHARACTERISTICS. As already mentioned, these ileeces from the breeds of sheep enumerated are perhaps best known as longwools, largely due to the good length of staple grown, particularly on the Lincoln and Leicester breeds. Good Lincoln hog wool ranges amongst the longest grown staples of any class produced,, and as such it is highly prized in the Bradford trade, although perhaps it- does not command, as a rule, much more than a penny per lb. above ewes and wethers. It is best known for the special purposes to which it is put. Good, bright, /lustrous wool of the Lincoln type is probably the best wools of their kind grown, and 1 they are used in conjuctioir with mohair entirely because of the bright, silky appearance of the fibre - . Tliey -are also largely consumed for topmaking (purposes, and owing to their length and strength they serve a very good purpose for wrapping scouring machine rollers, the wool as it passes through the scouring bowl being wrung out os 'it leaves the machine, the operation being very similar to the rollers of an ordinary household wringing machine, these rollers being tightly wrapped with will at is known as Lincoln hog top. This wool ds also largely used in the production of worsted dress goods and linings which, being Inimitable, supply the most important markets of the woi’ld. As already Said Lincoln lustre wools are the strongest in quality, Leicesters being a trifle finer and a little

more soft in handle, while wool from the Wensleydale breed finer stilll. It may be asked why these classes show the brilliance which ‘ they do, while other descriptions of wool show no lustre whatever. This property of lustre is to a- .large extent dependent upon the diameter of the surface o'f the individual scales of the wool fibre, and the action and reflection of light upon and through them. This is a.-very intricate problem (and perhaps to wool growers of little importance, it being the commercial aspect which (appeals to them most. At the same time it is as weK to. know how this important property is imparted, for a. destruction if it was possible of this valuable property would be a serious matter in all! lustre wools. In a. word, the mechanical (arrangement and structure of the surface of the 'wool fibre is very largely the cause of the lustre connected with these woofs, although the chemical composition and nature of the individual scales of each fibre is responsible for reflecting the (light. This property should be preserved, for it" is of considerable importance to the worsted industry;. in fact, these were ‘the wools which practically founded the great industry that is now centred in Bradford. SORTING A LINCOLN FLEECE.

Every practical slieep man knows that the shoulder wool is of far different quality' to what we get say from the rump or down the thighs. Hence arises the necessity for sorting the fleece into its respective qualities. The following is an. actual sorting result from a real typical Lincoln fleece of lustre wool, and it is well worth studying:

Totl. 100 per cent. The following is the sorting results of a typical Leicester fleece, the difference in qualities coming out in a somewhat significant way:

Totl. 100 per cent. All the lustre breeds of sheep should he preserved in their purity, for as time goes on they arc bound to become more vtiluable to the flockmasters of the world.

7 rper cent of 40’s quality 50 36’s 15 24 30’s „ 24’s * „ 3 n i > shorts 1 dirt.

LEICESTER FLEECE. s ip or cent- of 44’s quality. 34 „ „ 40’s ,, 30 „ 3G’k 15 „ 3o;s 5 3 3 3 3 24 S 3 3 2 3 3 33 a'bb 3 ,, ,, seconds. 2 .3 ,, clownriglits. . 1 3, ,, sliir'lingsor dirt.