The Jute Industry: from Seed to Finished Cloth | Page 8

mixture suitable for the preparing
and spinning of a definite quality and colour of material. In much the
same way, the term "batching" is used in the jute industry, although it
will be seen shortly that a more extensive use is made of the word. A
"batch," in its simplest definition, therefore indicates a number of bales
which is suitable for subsequent handling in the Batching Department.
This number may include 5, 6, 7 or more bales of jute according to the
amount of accommodation in the preparing department.
All the above bales of a batch may be composed of the same standard
quality of jute, although the marks may be different. It must be
remembered that although the marks have a distinct reference to quality
and colour, they actually represent some particular firm or firms of
balers or merchants. At other times, the batch of 5 to 10 bales may be
composed of different qualities of jute, the number of each kind
depending partly upon the finished price of the yarn, partly upon the
colour, and partly upon the spinning properties of the combination.
It will be understood that the purpose for which the finished yarn is to
be used will determine largely the choice of the bales for any particular
batch. For example, to refer to a simple differentiation, the yarn which
is to be used for the warp threads in the weaving of cloth must, in
nearly every case, have properties which differ in some respects from
the yarn which is to be used as weft for the same cloth.
On the whole, it will be found advantageous, when the same grade of
jute is required, to select a batch from different balers' marks so that

throughout the various seasons an average quality may be produced.
The same class of yarn is expected at all times of the year, but it is well
known that the properties of any one mark may vary from time to time
owing to the slight variations in the manipulation of the fibre at the
farms, and to the variations of the weather during the time of growth,
and during the season generally.
A list of the bales for the batch is sent to the batching department, this
list being known as a "batch-ticket." The bales are, of course, defined
by their marks, and those mentioned on the batch-ticket must be rigidly
adhered to for one particular class of yarn; if there is any chance of one
kind running short, the condition should be notified in time so that a
suitable mark may be selected to take its place without effecting any
great change in the character or quality of the yarn.
When the number and kind of bales have been selected and removed
from the groups or parcels in the store or warehouse, they are conveyed
to the batching department, and placed in a suitable position near the
first machine in the series. It need hardly be mentioned that since the
fibre, during the operation of baling, is subjected to such a high
hydraulic pressure, the bale presents a very solid and hard appearance,
see Fig. 7, for the various so-called "heads" of fibre have been
squeezed together and forced into a very small bulk. In such a state, the
heads are quite unfitted for the actual batching operation; they require
to be opened out somewhat so that the fibres will be more or less
separated from each other. This operation is termed "opening" and the
process is conducted in what is known as a "bale opener," one type of
which is illustrated in Fig. 8, and made by Messrs. Urquhart, Lindsay &
Co., Ltd., Dundee.
The various bales of the batch are arranged in a suitable manner near
the feed side of the machine, on the left in the view, so that they can be
handled to the best advantage. The bands or ropes, see Fig. 7, are
removed from the bale in order that the heads or large pieces of jute can
be separated. If any irregularity in the selection of the heads from the
different bales of the batch takes place in this first selection of the
heads of jute, the faulty handling may affect subsequent operations in

such a way that no chance of correcting the defect can occur; it should
be noted at this stage that if there are slight variations of any kind in the
fibres, it is advisable to make special efforts to obtain a good average
mixture; as a matter of fact, it is wise to insist upon a judicious
selection in every case. The usual variations are--the colour of the fibre,
its strength, and the presence of certain impurities such as stick, root,
bark or specks; if the pieces of jute, which are affected