lo Aug., 1910.] Hie Wool Industrx. 525 



Considering how far Australasia is ahead of all other countries in the 

 preparation of wool for market, the flood of literature from Great Britain 

 which has been poured in here in reference to jute fibre in wool, tar brands, 

 &c., is surprising, for it is doubtful whether wool is shorn, classed, baled 

 and sold in a less primitive manner in Great Britain to-day as compared 

 with a hundred years ago. The handling of Australasian wool at the 

 London docks leaves much to be desired, for it is there that most of the 

 jute fibre trouble is caused, owing to the manner in which the packs are 

 torn by hooks and then ruthlessly hacked about when being opened for 

 inspection on the show-floors. 



A great many growers with comparatively small clips do their own 

 classing, and in a highly satisfactory manner, as is proved, year after vear, 

 by the high prices obtained for their clips. 



As we have previously pointed out, when it comes to returns per head 

 the flockmaster who dips and feeds his sheep and skirts his fleeces carefully, 

 not necessarily heavily, invariably outdistances his neighbour who does not 

 do these things. Overclassing of wool is almost as bad as not classing at 

 all ; nor is heavy skirting of the majority of fleeces necessary. It is 

 advisable when the wool permits to make the lots as large as possible, while 

 woolrollers should be made to use some judgment as to the skirting of 

 fleeces, and not be allowed, as is too often the case, to tear the wool oft" 

 whenever it happens to be hanging over the table. The rolling of the fleece 

 is also most important, and it is desirable not to tie same even by twisting 

 up the neck wool, while tying the fleece with any kind of twine is of course 

 unpardonable, and. we are glad to say. now practically unheard of in 

 Australasia. 



It is frequently argued by growers that their neighbours who do not 

 skirt their wool at all get equally high prices per lb. This may, and does 

 occasionally, occur, but it must be remembered that the man who does not 

 class his wool as a rule does not attend to his flocks. They are frequently 

 underfed, and consequently produce hunger-fine, light-conditioned wool, 

 which may bring an even higher price per lb. than that from well-attended 

 sheep ; but the price per lb. is not the test of merit. It is the average 

 return per sheep. 



Taken collectively, the Victorian clip was a splendid one, the outstand- 

 ing features being good length and body, with softness of handle. As 

 compared with the previous season's wool, it was not so fine in quality. 



The Western District, which produces year after year wool which is 

 incomparably superior to any grown elsewhere, on this occasion supplied 

 rather a patchy clip ; while some wools were faultless, those from the wetter 

 areas were not so well grown as usual, on account of excessive winter rains. 



Western Wimmera wools are second only to those grown in the Western 

 District proper, whilst the Eastern Wimmera clip was well grown, sound 

 and cleaner than usual ; in fact, this great cereal and fat lamb district pro- 

 duced a much better clip than usual. 



The North-East is now so closely settled that most of the clips from 

 that district are small, but with care really good wool is produced. 



Wools from the Central District were quite up to the average, whilst the 

 Gippsland clips have not been so good for years, those from the north and 

 east of this district having been particularly dry in condition. It is a great 

 pity that so many of the Gippsland wools are ticky, but now that dipping 

 is compulsory in Victoria, there should be a marked improvement in this 

 respect in future. — Dalgetv' s Annual Wool Review for Australasia, 1909-10. 



