OCR Text |
Show THE BOSTON WOOL MARKET j BOSTON, Mass., Feb. 7. Whether the wool trade Is more con-cerncd con-cerncd over the high prices quoted in the London sales and in Au-trnlian Au-trnlian primary markets or the opening of the contracting season in the Knr West is a question. The latter is nbout a fortnigH i earlier this year than last and hns started on different lines. In 1 contrast with 1915, when the embargo had debarred AmencAn buyers from operating in New Zealand this year they hne ti I cured a large volume of the Dominion crossbreds. Though this h counterbalanced to some extent by smaller purchases in s0uta : America, no such shortage in medium wools prevails n wM : threatened a year ago. Therefore, It Is not strange that inivcn '. should show less eagerness for domestic medium wools now thrn a year ago, when it was considered wise to secure as large n ,. ! ume as possible. For wool on the sheep's back in the West, opt!!. Ing prices in the grease are substantially the same as thoce noted In year ago. But as these values apply to fine clothing oilr)1 whereas a year ago medium grades were being taken, rt.Jlj a substantial advance is shown. Those most concerned In the contracting arc not willing t , tf. mil Hint a large volume of wool already is involved. Mot c f tl wool thus far put under contract is in Southern Utah, of clip-, run ning Inrgely to fine clothing. Prices paid nre said to hnu bu-n. 21 to 22 cents for fine nnd 21 to 25 cents for clips running more to medium. Scoured values laid down here nre estimated rt 7) t nt, or fully up to the parity of the old clip wools remaining 'icrc, .More contracting would hnvc been done, but for the nttlludo i.f tr growers, who arc not disposed to yield nny of their undoubted advantage. Efforts have been made to contract wool in other section, notably Montana, Idaho and the Triangle district. Prapwtiit buyers, however, have found the growers very stiff in tluir idesi nnd thus far they have not been nble to secure anything. ' onrU-tions onrU-tions here are favorable to a strong buying movement nii-l it wniuV not surprise the trade to have It begin any day. Woolinen hint had a good year, money is easy nnd plenty of free capital is avail, nble, in spite of the tremendous importations of foreign wool. It is difficult to find 11 woolman who docs not profess to beliec that the war will continue indefinitely nnd, therefore, that it is snf tg branch out heavily on the present price basis. Manufacturers are still showing much interest in grens territory terri-tory wools, though the big movement of late January hns abated somewhnt. Warehouse Interests have taken advantage of th present strong market to move some of their consigned wool, the reported .sales for the past month having been drawn largely from that source. As the remainder of the 1015 clip is held in u ffir hands, there is a tendency to hold for still better prices. IK'tnt sales have been made on the clean basis of 75 to 77 cents for fin staple territory, 7!l to 75 cents for hnlfblood staple, 70 to 72 cent for three-clghths-blood staple, G8 to 70 cents for qunrtor-blo&I staple, 70 to 72 cents for fine clothing nnd 08 to 70 cents for fir.1 medium clothing. Most of the recent transfers have been in the original bag. For any really good lot 70 cents appears to be about the minimum scoured cost. Scoured territories are offered in a moderate wa Good lots are absorbed promptly, on the basis of 07 to 08 cents fr choice fine and 05 to 00 cents for fine medium, with stained and I defective lots at 50 to GO cents. Pulled wools arc feeling the ln , pulse of the strong market for other grades. Ordinary Ka.ster II supers are now quotable nt 02 cents, with good white lots as high as 05 to 07 cents. Eastern supers nre selling on the basis of 00 1 08, with fine A supers and extras at 70 to 75 cents. Wools with larger staple possibly would bring two to three cents, more per I pound. Chicago pullings are also firmer, being held on the tl"fln 1 basis of 00 to 0 1 cents for A supers and 58 to 01 cents for II super I Combing pulled wools are strong nt 57 to 58 cents for fine, 55 t 150 cents for medium nnd 50 to 52 cents for low. Fleeces are quiet, the recent movement having exhausted the capacity of buyers for the'moment. The situation is still ven firm, with choice lots of washed delaine held at J17 cents and upward, up-ward, and quarters and three-eights blood combing at 40 cent, though these prices have not been realized. One house reiwrts sales of Ohio fleeces for the week aggregating u hundrd thousand pounds, but particulars at to grades and prices are withheld. Indiana In-diana half-blood combing and Ohio half-blood clothing have been sold at 32 cents. Current quotations for Ohio fleeces nre vorv firm, at :$0 to 37 cents for fine washed delaine, 33 cents for XX and above, 32 to 32ij cents for fine unwashed delaine, 27 to 2S cents for fine unwashed clothing, 35 to 30 cents for hnff-blood combing, 38 to 39 cents for three-eighths-blood combing, 37 to 38 cents for quarter-blood combing, and 32 to 31 cents Ar medium clothing. |