OUR YORKSHIRE LETTER.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2509, 24 May 1909, Page 2

OUR YORKSHIRE LETTER.

VEGETABLE MATTER IN WOOL

(From Our Special Correspondent.)

BRADFORD, April 9,1909. This important subject has about reached its final stage, and the Committee that has been dealing with this matter during the last eighteen months met at Messrs Da'gety and Co.'s offices, London, just before the March series terminated. I have been favored with an advance proof of their recommendations, and it is now for every grower and handler of the raw material to read them carefully, and to put them into practice as far as they can. I have seen at the recent series of London sales every experiment which has been tried, and entirely share the views of the Committee that the best solution of the difficulty is the use of -wool; packs which have been lined with corrugated paper. The only thing to be careful about is to see that the pack is of sufficient weight and strength to stand the pressure entailed in baling say 3501b5. of greasy wool, and this can easily be done. The following are the recommendations of the Committee :

VEGETABLE FIBRE IN WOOL. (1) In late years manufacturer,, and merchants have been greatly troubled with the increasing quantity of vegetable matter appearing in worsted £nd woollen goods after they had been dyed. Under the impression that defective sorting of the wool was the cause they have blamed the wool merchant and the topmaker for not taking sufficient care. These latter people claim that quite as much and possibly more car© than fprmorly is being taken. Investigation has proved that loose fibres of jute from bagging or string have been the cause of the trouble. When these are Single or separated, it is impossible for the keenest eyes to detect them and even minute pieces of canvas or small pieces of ravelled twine used in sewing the bags might get overlooked owing to the color of these -being very similar to that of the greasy wool, it has also been found where inferior bags have been used and the bale has been carefully stripped of its wrapper that the exterior of the wool is covered with myriads of loose fibres of jute. (2) The vegetable matter here alluded to must be understood to be altogether distinct from burrs. These are quite different in appearance, and have to he treated by machinery, which process has been improved of recent years, hut the straight fibres of which we speak can only be taken out after the piece has been dyed, involving tedious and careful. labor by hand. It must never be imagined for one moment that the agitation about vegetable matter in wool has anything to do with trying to cheapen the cost of sorting. Actual figures show that as much or more is now spent upon sorting wool as ever before, while the cost of “burling” or taking the white fibres out of the finished pieces is ten times what it was a few years ago. Not only is it costly to take these undyed fibres out of the cloth, but when they are taken out they actually leave defects in the cloth. (3) That there has been a deterioration in the quality of the packing canvas or wool packs during recent years seems to be admitted on all hands, but this lowering of quality has been so gradual that it has not been noticed from year to year. It is only when comparing the bagging with that in use, say, ten years ago, that the difference is seen. Moreover it is noticed that the weaving is more, open than formerly, and the yarn is less tightly twisted. Both these features cause the bagging 'to “fray” more easily, and thus liberate loose fibres of jute. This is especially noticeable wherever a cut is made in the bagging such as is done when wool is exhibited for sale.

(4) Amongst the remedies for this evil which have been suggested to the committee and carefully considered by them are the use of a superior quality of canvas and sewing strong of wool, lined bags of cotton and paper linings, of dyed bags and dyed string, or wool sewing string, of singeing the canvas bag, of using sized or glazed bagging, of using metal fasteners to close the lid of the bag, of cross-dyeing the finished cloth.

(o). Quite apart from any of these remedies, there are ways by which those who handle the wool before it reaches its ultimate destination could do something to mitigate the evils. It would he a great advantage if every hag was carefully turned inside out and shaken to remove casual pieces of bagging and string, sometimes carelessly left in by 'the maker. The hag should then he turned back again. The greatest care should be taken in the shearing, classing, and packing sheds and in the sale warehouses that no foreign fibres, straw, grass, hemp, etc., should come into contact with the 'wool.

(G) With regard to a superior quality of jute cloth, much could be done by using tighter spun yarn to weave into the bagging and also by producing a closer woven cloth. It is quite evident ’that both these features would tend towards less fraying where the hag is cut, and that there would be less loose fibre on the wool as the result of the friction between wool and bag. A lighter cloth so made would no doubt stand the same strain of handling, and the cost of the bag need not be much more, as the saving of weight would influence, the price. The same will apply to the string used for sewing purposes, which like the tares, should be undyed, as the color (red or blue) often proves fugitive, and stains clean wool.

(7) Cheap cotton lining to bags has also been suggested, and already adopted by some growers. There are dangers connected .with this. When it becomes stained with grease it is of the. color of wool, and should any small portion get overlooked it might work great harm. Of course, in the case of wool or cot-ton-lined hags, --it becomes possible to use a cheap outside hag. The committee, however, after careful consideration, which has been confirmed by many outside opinions and protects, are compelled to deprecate the use of calico linings. (8) On the other hand, exhaustive experiments have been made with paper lined bags. In the ease of ordinary thin paper which lias been but loosely attached with glue the experiments have not been satisfactory. Specially prepared packs of a closely woven texture have, however, been produced with a thick corrugated paper lining, and the reports have been so unanimously favorable from buyers that the committee have no hesitation in giving these a high recommendation. '(9) Singeing the cloth to remove all loose or superfluous fibres seems to.have advantages. (10) Sizing the cloth leaves the impression that it is an expedient which has more appearance than merit about it. In-the rough usage of transit, etc., the glaze is apt to be rubbed off or dissolved. Sizing alone is an altogether insufficient remedy, and the committee considers the suggestion inadequate. - , • i .

(11) Metal fasteners for closing the mouth of the bag have been suggested. While this is a step in the. right direction, it does not get over the difficulty at issue, and does not materially assist ' in the solution of the question, besides introducing an element of danger in the handling. Moreover, they render the bale more easily liable to pilfering during transit. (12) Dyed bags, dyed stripes, and dyed string have on the surface something to recommend them, if a l goods made from wool had eventually to be dyed black or dark colors, but as some of the fault arises from the rubbing of the wool in the bagging, and as these being single fibres could not be picked off, it follows that dyed fibres going forward into light-colored goods would be a much greater danger than light hairs in dark goods, and the committee considers the suggestion quite ' impracticable. Colored stripes on the bales are also considered objectionable. (13) It is, of course, well known that vegetable fibres will not dye with wool, and the question of cross dyeing, i.e., once for vegetable and once for animal fibres, is also impracticable.

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion the Committee desires

to record its extreme gratification at tho manner in which of colonial growers have already interested themselves in this question. The response in way of improved tares which have come on to the market during the

present season has been as surprising as it has been gratifying. Many tares, including cotton-lined, paper-lined, singed bags, and tares of improved quality have come under the . notice of buyers, and already there has been a marked improvement in the packing of many of the best clips. The interest of buyers has also been stimulated, and ■ it will be advantageous to sellers who use approved tares to have the fact

stated in the catalogues. It is obvious that the advantages of packing wool in a satisfactory manner accrue to the grower, as a clip which lias the confidence of users always has preference over one not so well favored. There may be a minute extra cost of packing according to desires of the user, but it appears to bo more than compensated for by the advantages of goodwill, and. further, it is most improbable that anyone who takes a pride in his clip will send it to market in anything but the most merchantable form. Indeed, it could scarcely be imagined that any trade would send forward to market its commodities in any but the most attractive form to the buyer. Doubtless many buyers of good wools would not object to share in the extra cost, if some equitable way could he, found for this, but so far no feasible plan has been suggested. Many manufacturers continue to give additional testimony to the enormous extra expense entailed by the presence of this vegetable fibre, and whatever may be the difference of opinion as to the methods and division of the small extra cost, the grower may be absolutely certain that in the ultimate reckoning this extra cost of treatment is always a tax on the value of the raw' wool which falls ultimately on the grower. The Commitee desires to urge that all growers will continue to assist in the efforts to obtain so very desirable an end. They would, however, emphasise, once and for all, the fact that cotton linings constitute an equally serious element of danger; in fact, Cotton threads are liable to fray, and are even more difficult to eliminate than pieces of jute string. The question of wool linings for packs has met with an unexpected check owing to the fact that 25 per cent, duty will have to be paid in Australia. This means a cost of about Is t d each landed, but of course the cheapest packs may then be used as outer coverings. , It is hoped, however, that the Government of the Commonwealth may see its wav to cancel this, and negotiations are in progress with that object in view. Meanwhile, in the opinion of the Committee, a wool lining furnishes the real remedy, provided that the growers can find an easy and convenient method of manipulating these linings in tlie process of packing. Various efforts made with paper-lined packs, as previously stated, have proved eminently satisfactory- The essential' features are that canvas should be. sufficiently strong and not too thin, that the paper should be of thick and corrugated type, which docs not fracture, and that the paper be thoroughly attached to tlie pack. Packs of tins cliaractei \\lncli have already been under the notice of the Committee are such as can be tliorrecommended, and the _ extra cost of such a paper lining is estimated not to exceed 9d per bale.