Notes. 101 



The Mohair Trade: A Reprehensible Practice. 



A well-knowu firm of wool and mohair buyers has written as 

 follows to the Department, which wishes to associate itself with the 

 firm in discountenancing the improper practice disclosed: — 



" Eeverting to summer firsts, we deprecate the practice, which has 

 recently been in vogue, of speculators buying average firsts in certain 

 districts and railing them to Graaff-Eeinet and from thence to Port 

 Elizabeth. This has been done in many instances, and, no doubt in 

 order to have the Graaff-Eeinet Station mark shown on the bales. 

 We suppose that this has been done with the intention of endeavour- 

 ing to delude the buyer at the coast, but instead of having the desired 

 effect, we fear that it is only getting the Graaff-Eeinet District a bad 

 name. This practice does no good to the mohair trade in general 

 and to Graaff-Eeinet in particular. Personally, we have inspected 

 many clips that are supposed to have been grown in the Graaff- 

 Eeinet District, but which bear a very strong resemblance to Jansen- 

 ville mohair, which is generally looked upon as average summer 

 firsts." 



Wool Growers' Associations. 



A movement of much importance to the wool industry of South 

 Africa, initiated by the Grootfontein School of Agriculture, has 

 recently resulted in the successful inauguration of wool growers' asso- 

 ciations in the Graaff-Eeinet and Middelburg Districts of the Cape 

 Province. The wool growers of these two districts have decided to 

 institute a system of careful classing and of particular attention to 

 the breeding and care of sheep, so as to improve their wool produc- 

 tion, and by means of inspection of sorting and packing of 

 wools by qualified classers, ensure the sale of their wool under 

 circumstances giving a guarantee of its standard. Wool which has 

 not been so classed will not be permitted to bear the brand of the 

 association. The objects are (a) to gain the confidence of wool buyers 

 at the coast and other marketing centres, not only by means of produc- 

 ing the right type of wool, but also by getting up clips in the most 

 efficient, honest and attractive manner; (b) to sell as many clips as 

 possible on the same date in order to attract the competition of buyers; 

 and (c) to assist members, if required, to classify their wool clips and 

 flocks of sheep, and to select suitable rams. 



There are other wool growers' associations that have been in 

 existence for some years, but the present movement is expected to 

 lead to increased activity in this direction. It has already been wel- 

 comed by the trade oversea, and the Principal of the Grootfontein 

 School of Agriculture is assured of the hearty co-operation of the 

 Principal of the Technical College at Bradford, the centre of the 

 \Yorld's wool trade, m furthering the objects of the recently formed 

 associations, the members of which realize that the secret of their 

 success is the study of markets; the wool grower who thoroughly 

 understands and meets the requirements of the manufacturer is the 

 one who will make sheep farming a first-class proposition. The enter- 

 prise of those engaged in the movement is to be highly commended, 

 and there is every reason to believe that their action will redound in 

 credit and profit to themselves. 



