OUR YORKSHIRE LETTER.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2576, 10 August 1909, Page 7

OUR YORKSHIRE LETTER.

THE GLASS OF WOOL AMERICA , ‘ BUYS. ''J- Our Special Correspondent.) v ■! BRADFORD, dune 24. ,4'he American factor is to-day paramount in the wool trade, the influence of American buying taking the whole world by storm since the last May series of London sales. It is now mere history to say .that its special needs can only,.be met', by ..the best ,wools grown, and^owip-g/tq certain conditions of tariff arrangement., only the best classes of merino and crossbred are imported. The onslaught at the May ivories was remarkable,:- and so far at the English fairs they have knocked everyone to the Avail in their- great eagerness to secure good halfbreds, and fine Down descriptions The question is ay ell worth asking Avhat special description of colonial aa-ools arc purchased by America. and the subject deserves a chapter. The fact is very remarkable that America is a larger buyer of Australian groAvn wools than it has ever been, and this notwithstanding a big import duty of 11 cents per lb., on greasy wool. At the time the Dingley tariff Avas enacted Ave Avero told by United States sheep enthusiasts .that given an adequate duty, sufficient wool could he groAvn in America to meet manufacturers’ demands. Such a statement the Avriter never believed, and if the import duty was doubled to-morrow, no less quantity of Australian merino and New Zealand crossbred would be imported. It’s a question to-day of American mills requiring colonial avool, and they cannot do Avithout it, no matter what the cost. Australasian . avools produce fabrics Avhich, in the natural order of things, are the very best, and it is a fact that the more their manufacturing properties arc knoAvn the more they are appreciated. Anyone using Australian avools and giving them a fair trial, wall never again throw them overboard, and as the American woollen and Avorsted industries develop, so will there be a larger consumption of colonial wools in the United States. BUYING ALL QUALITIES.

American buyers purchase all qualities and descriptions of avooI; that is, so far as combing is- concerned. Operators from across the Atlantic very seldom go beyond purchasing the combing lots, the exigencies of their tariff compelling them to keep to the lightest shrinking parcels. Here we see the Avisdom of growers making the most of their combing wools, and the benefits arising from skirting are seen Avhen American buyers give their support to the avool. ’lt has to be an exceptionally good lot of clothing, broken or pieces, that command American support, and 1 do not knoAv that I ever soav United States operators purchase necks or pieces. Why should they when there is sufficient combing to meet all their needs? On the other hand, it is a pitv that they cannot buy the second and third descriptions of a clip as can the Home or Continental trades. In this respect I am certain that the American tariff is at fault, for if United States importers could lift good second combing, clothing, broken, and pieces, some excellent iuav material for the woollen industry would bo secured. These remarks apply just the same to crossbreds as merinos. At the last series of London sales avo saw American support giA*en more freely to shabbier crossbreds than ever we did, and this ought to be a general thing, and not an unusual occurrence. There is any amount of good medium merinos and •crossbreds which Avouid do admirably for both combing and carding purposes if they could- be imported at a reasonable price, but so long as there is a settled duty on wool, buyers will be compelled to purchase only the lightest •conditioned parcels. It seems a thousr and pities, both in the interests of American manufacturers as well as groA\'ors, that the same competition is not forthcoming for these wools, for it would guarantee to the American wearing public a much better garment than what is being worn in very many cases, for at their very best so-called “cotton Avorsteds” cannot possibly give satisfaction.

the merinos purchased. As already said the fundamental ■principle to be observed in buying wool for America is that of weight which the raw material will bring when clean scoured. In other words it is the old story over again of shrinkage, and the ‘"clean yield” it will bring. And very little wool is bought for the United States that will not give half weight, that is 50 per cent., and the nearer it will give. 50 per oent. clean yield, the more likely it is to command American support. As a rule Victorian wools, and particularly those grown m West Victoria; also tbe wools grown in the district known as the Lower North of South Australia, the best Riverina wools, and a few of the lightest Queensland clips, with an occasional lot or two from West Australia and Tasmania, are also bought for the United States. It is hard to say what quantity of the Australian clip will give a clean yield of 50 to 55 per cent. It has been estimated that of the wools grown 40 per cent, of the- medium merinos will give a clean yieid of 48 to o2 per cent., but I should question if that estimate is reliable. Merino wool yielding, say, half-weight is considered very light and good, and more like 2o to 30 per cent, of the Australian clip would, to my mind, be nearer the mark. Another 15 per cent, would give from 52 to 55, and the remainder would yield anywhere from 35 to 45, with the exception of the heavy stained _ pieces, bellies, and locks. I am certain that American buyers are beginning to appreciate more the opportunity of purchasing Australian merinos, and they .know better than was tile case some four or five years back when tbe best clips will be offered. As time passes there is bound to be considerably more buying done at the various Australian selling centres than there used to be, and there is every- appearance of a larger number coming to London. The majority are not expecting very much change in the wool duties at the present revision, but I am certain that many years cannot elapse before mor« favorable terms will be given to importing heavier shrinkage wools than in the past. . . , ' The class of merinos that America likes perhaps the most is the broad, shafty deep stapled wools, and Adelaide'descriptions are prime favorites. I have often seen in London, when two or three American buyers have taken every lot of combing, for they know just as well as Yorkshire topmakers that these wools have plenty of tear /bout them. This is perhaps what MOkes them so popular along with the -Mb Riverina clips. These wools wid - - carry through less desirable parcels, and ' they will stand “mixing” very largely with their own domestic fleeces, it users so elect. In the case of West Victorian wools, these serve an admirable purpose. They are very well 'liked, by: every section of the; trade, and it is a thousand ..pities that West Victor--11 III! | lllllljli:; ;■ , -/I < ‘ J. V - » t

ia is not a larger Avooi-growing State. A feAV Noav Zealand merinos find their Avay across the Atlantic, but as a rule they are too heavy and fatty for that quarter, and the same can be said for the avools of South Africa. Of course, estimates can vary anyAvhere up to 5 per cent, respecting the yield of wool, and I known so-called experts to be as much as 8 or 10 per cent.mut in the yield of a lot of avool. At the same time American buyers know, what they want, and having found what suits their purpose, they cannot bo easily shaken off. If South African wools Avere in lighter condition, they too would sell in good quantities, ‘but so long as six months’ shearing is so general, and the Avoois are so badly prepared for market, America will not touch • them. A few special clips from the Western Province and Kaffraria are taken, but I should say not more than 5 per cent, of South African avools aro suited for American requirements. CROSSBREDS FOR AMERICA.

Ncav Zealand are prime favorites Avith American buyers, and here aa*c see. a large quantity being annually shipped. Many lots were purchased last series in London that Avouid give fully 75 per cent, clean yield, and some handsome prices—up to 16fd —Avero frequently paid. These light yielding fleeces are, li-owever, the exception. The bulk of the avools of a crossbred character Avhich are shipped across the Atlantic will not give a clean yield ot •more than, 65 to 70 per cent; in fact, it is in order to say that crossbred fleeces for the United States should not shrink more than from 25 to 35 per cent:

Then the quality of crossbreds is an important consideration. Lately they have shoAvn more disposition to take up the stronger fibred avools, say, 40’s quality, but this year their purchases have mostly centred around woofs of medium quality. Of course, the class of goods which are fashionable determines, to a large extent, what is doing, and on all hands quality decided Avliat is going to sell the best according to tbs special need of the trade. America seems to be fairly avcll fitted from a climatic standpoint for the spinning of crossbreds, for no comp.amts have ever been raised as to the difficulty of combing and spinning these wools, tee. same as one has heard from the Continent. Even in English avoois the same line of demarcation obtains as is found in colonial sorts. At the country fairs, Avhich are at present absorbing great interest, the strongest demand has run for Avell-Avaslied fleeces of a medium to fine quality, the strong avools being comparatively neglected. To sum the matter up, condition and quality are the two leading essentials in all American avools, and where a man gets that, there is usually the other sound characteristics to be found. South American Avoois. including those from River Plate and Punta Arenas are also commanding the support of American buyers, and will continue to do eo. In the latter, condition is of first- importance. Their manufacturing properties as good hosiery avools ha\ r e been recognised by United States manufacturers, and these are certain to be more largely bought in the future. The fact is very significant that even Scotch Blackface, which is about the coarsest avool that is groAvn finds large support at the hand of American carpet manufacturers, and there is no better avool in any part of the Avorld for this purpose.