OUR YORKSHIRE LETTER.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2523, 9 June 1909, Page 2

OUR YORKSHIRE LETTER.

THE LEICESTER MERINO CROSS

(From our own Correspondent.)

BRADFORD, April 23. This week I have been enjoying a wonderful treat by looking over some good sized samples of crossbred wool, grown at Bolinda Vale, West Victoria, belonging to Sir Rupert Garlic. Let me here say that this clip is always sold in London under the mark of Cross and CS, and for crossbred wool .it is the champion el ip iof thei whole world. That is indeed saying a great deal, but ' I suppose the sale room price is the verdict by which the above statement must either stand or fall. This very mark was offered last January 22nd., -a good sized lot of grease 4-brcd hogget selling at the handsome price of Is 51 d, comeback hogget Is 54 a, comeback Ist Is sd, A-bred' combing hogget Is 4Ad, 3; bred hogget Is 2d. Surely such prices as these cannot bo despised, for they show at once the splendid character of the wool, and they must possess real superior merit, otherwise they would not be selling at such handsome figures. There is no doubt- that climate and, pasturage have a- good deal to do in determining the character of all wool, and here' these important essentials no doubt 'enter very materially into the question of determining the nice, soft, kind staple which is produced. The writer knows for a positive fact that in the above flock the Leicester is the siro which is mated with the merino in producing tlio halfbred wool, in. fact, this is the only mutton sire used in growing crossbred wool. That being so, a few thoughts on Leicester merino wool will be read with interest by readers of this issue, for in this article we have a very useful, sound and admirable cross. I.am not now so much writing from a mutton standpoint as that of w r hol, but all the same the Leicester merino cross gives a bu.tellers’ sheep which can not be despised, for in the old days when New Zealand pastoralists first embarked on the profitable business of producing freezers, the Leicester for many years was the principal mutton siro employed. LEADING FEATURES. The principal feature in connection with the Leicester merino cross is that it produces a staple somewhat-finer in quality than does the Lincoln cross. Originally Leicester wool is smaller in the hair and finer in fibre than Lincoln, and when mated with the merino ewe the natural result is that the cross is hardly so severe, and the staple produced is finer in quality. There has this last few years sprung up a, very large industry for fine A-bred wool, and in the production of Indigo blue serges both for men and women’s wear, there are immense quantities made of 50’s and 56’s quality. When these serges are cut fine on the., surface of the" 3 cloth in the finishing operation, only an expert can tell what they are made from, nine out of every ten thinking they are Botany cloths, whereas they are made from fine crossbreds. There- "are other fabrics into which this fine half-wool enters, and they serve a very useful purpose indeed. Even when the A-bred ewe is still further crossed with the pure, Leicester the progeny produces a fleece that is nice and flue in fibre, and even from the second class we still have a nice 46 s to 48’s quality. These aro called medium crossbred wools, and along with this quality wo also get a nice average length of staple. This, too, is an important consideration, and it is one which means a great deal to the average wool-buyer. Shorter the staple ox crossbred wool and less it is worth, but if a fleece is well-grown and the Leicester cross is used, it always produces a very desirable type of wool. Di course all localities cannot carry the Leicester successfully, but where climate and pasturage are suited for these sheep, the result of the cross is always satisfactory both from a wool and mutton standpoint. During the last few years it has hardly been as popular as the Lincoln and Romney cress, but all the same there are places where the Leicester would do better than .the two former. , . ~ ... A very important characteristic witli all wools is its handle and general appearance. Some wools handle much softer than others, although they may bo just the same quality. Now Leicester merino cross wool handles very soft, hand, -and silk-like, and it is here where it scores splendidly, the wool being full of that delightful feel which. is always appreciated when it comes to appear in the piece. One reason why West Victorian lambs fetch a big price is because we get there a- silk-like feel which cannot be got in any other lambs produced in any other part of Australia. Now this question ot handle is more than sentiment, and is due to a blending of forces, which is always apparent in the raw material. The staple will not be as bright ancl lustrous as is the Lincoln-merino cross, the use of the Leicester sire producing what is known as demi-lustre wool, and more of this class is used in the manufacture of woollen and worsted fabrics than of any. other description of crossbred wool. No doubt the Lincolnmerino produces a heavier fleece, but it is stronger in quality, somewhat lon o'er in staple, and is a little Harder Tn feel than when the Leicester is used, it.being the purpose to which the wool is to be put which will decide ti e class of wool bought by the user. 11ns Leicester, coresbred wool is a very popular one with American buyers, due mostly to tlie question of handle and quality and growers, wherever mutton sh-es are usecl, should keep an open eve upon what they are now producing, Sd tEe suitability of the cross for their MSturcs. The writer knows noth,ng about the physical nature of -the country best suited for either the Lincoln, Leicester, or Romney or for that matter a Down cross, but all the same Leicester merino wool is decidedly good and will always command* the strong support of the entire trade. ACTIVITY ON THE CONTINENT. Continental conditions have av good deal of interest to colonial wool growers as welt as the users m other parts of the world. From Berlin a good demand from consumers is reported, col-

onial wools being ouite active. There is a section of South African farmers who reside in the Orange River colony, who are banded together in a kind of co-operative movement, and their little clips are shipped to Bromen for sale there. The second sale of tho season under the “Unie” brand was to be held yesterday the total offering amounting to about 1300 bales. There is no doubt that Germany can afford to pay some very good prices for Cape produce, and this' kind of business of selling wool at Bremen was started last year. The spring trade in manufactured goods has been very satisfactory. As showing the trend of events a meeting was held about a week ago at 'Apolda, of the members of the Association of German Manufacturers of Knit Goods and Woven Hosiery—and which was attended by the more important makers of such goods at Mulhouse, Erfurt, in Saxony, and at Berlin— it was resolved, after full discussion, that in view of tho steadily rising prices of wool since last autumn, prices of such manufactures shall bo raised 10 per Gent., tho position of individual members to guide them as t-o the extent of the increase. A FIRM MARKET. - ( Not a great deal of change can be noted compared with even a fortnight ago, * Bradford manifesting all the sound factors which have hitherto characterised the position of things in this market. Business lias assumed a normal aspect, and generally speaking activity is the order of the day. Users here seem to be > lying no regard to any factors except consumption, and there continues to be expressed a firm conviction that wool prices have not seen the top. It is true that a firm 'feeling obtains in regard to crossbreds, due directly to the further large operations by American buyers some good weights of crossbreds from 46’s upwards having been sold to United States buyers. This lias strengthened the holders of lower crossbreds, although by no means good business is proceeding. Topmakcrs are hardly so squeezeable as they were a fortnight ago. It is still possible to get in at a shilling for a decent 40’s top, though the majority are quoting id and Ad more. However, nobody anticipates’ wool being anv lower next series in London, and there is every likelihood of the? same eager demand that was seen in March. In the aggregate there is more wool going into consumption of a crossbred nature than many think there is, and there is no prospect of a 113' description coming cheaper. Spinners complain bitterly that business 1 with them is nothing like as sound as it is for crossbred wools and tops, and yet some good deliveries are being made to them which proves more than words that business must be fairly sound. _ Merinos still continue to bold tho field, and there is here as much pressure- being put upon topimakers and spinners as over there was. Commission combers are running at tlieir maximum, and yet they have hard work to satisfy the demands of their clients. Supplies of wool are adequate for the time being, and yet importers can readily sell anything they feel disposed to offer. Quotations are well maintained at the highest price topmakers have yet made, and the future is as sound in appearance as we have recently seen. There is naturally some grumbling among these who have to make deliveries at .pence per lb. under to-day’s rates, but all contracts arc being honorably adhered to. and business generally is very good. Nothing better can yet be reported about mohair, business being very limited, and far from satisfactory.