Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1844-04-12
TIL Il ALPACA,

Probably few ladies who wear and admire the
beautiful fabric called Alpaca, are aware of the
source Of It's production. The Alpaca is a wool
bearing ANIMAL indigenous to South America, and
Is one of four varieties which bear general points
Of resemblance to each other. The Llama, one of
these varieties has been long known and often
described; but it is only within few years that
the Alpaca has been considered of sufficient i'm
portance to merit particular notice.
Nne-tenths of the wool OF the Alpaca is black
the remainder being partly white, red and grizzled
IL is OF very long staple, often reaching twelve
inches, and resembles soft glossy huir-which char
acter is not lost by dyeng. The Indians in the
South American mountains manufacture nearly all
their clothing from this wool, and are enabled TO
appear In black dresses, without the aid of DYER
Both the Llama and Alpaca are perhaps. even
more valuable to the natives as beasts of burden
than as wool bearing animals and the obstinacy of
both, when lrrltated, is well known. The impor-
lance OF this animal has been already considered
by the English in their hat, wooden and stuff trade
and an essay on the subject has been published by
DR.. Hamilton, Of London, from which some of these
details are collected
The wool is 50 remarkable, being Jet black,
glossy silk like hair, that is fitted for the produc-
ton OF textile fabrics differing ftom all others, oc-
cupyIng medium position between wool and silk
IL Is now mingled with other materials in such
singular MANNER that while particular dive will
affect those, it will leave the Alpaca wool with its
original black color and thus give rise to great d.
verslty.
When the value of this commodity became an
preciated in England it became an important ques-
ton whether the animal itself could be reared i'm
the country. From the power possessed by the Al.
pacca OF living on very scanty heritage it has been
proposed to Introduce the animal in those districts
OF Scotland and Ireland, where the English sheep
cannot flourish. Mr.. Walton, recent writer on
tins subject, remarks "To the tender of an Andes
flock, the snow storm is disarmed of all its terrors
and as the stranger, when naturazed among us,
would feed upon heritage, left behind by the cattle
and sheep which had gone over the ground before
nm, he would not consequently interfere with the
pasturage OF our present herds and focks nor d.
mnsh IN the slightest degree the provision of food
reserved for them. The income which a farmer
would derive from this new breeding stock will be
readily calculated when it is taken into account
that the South Down fleece seldom weighs more
than two pounds whereas the Alpaca Yields from
SIX to eight, and this wool always commands hiph-
er price, besides keeping for seven years, if the
market should be low"
The late Duchess of York introduced the AL
pacca as denlzen IN her pleasure grounds as did
likewise the late Countess of Liverpool The Earl
OF Derby, at Knowles, has a small flock of Alpac
cas- some Of which were born on the estate: and
one, line male, has wool eighteen or twenty inch
es III length. At the Glasgow meeting of the Brit.
ish Association, in 1910, Mr.. Dawson introduced
the subject, and stated the grounds on which its
rearing in England may be advocated. Among the
matters adduced by Mr.. Dawson, was the follow
ing, that the Alpaca wool is naturally free from
grease and differs materially from the sheep attrib.
ulaDe to Its persplring through the skin, and con-
sequenty not requiring the artificial protection Of
smearng with tar and other substances injurious to
the wool as far as the manufacture is concerned
and In shearng the animal requires no washing
preparatory to the operation" Another point con-
sdered not less singular and valuable, is that "of
their peculiar coat OF silky wool provinga complete
protection against an atmosphere at all times ex-
cesslyey humid, and against the deugng rain,
which (anong the Andes) continues to fall upwards
oil iour months III the year; thus rendering them
well suited to the Gralnplan and other mountainous
districts Of Scotland" Lastly, " the animal is not
only capable Of undergoing great fatigue, but like
wise lives on the mountain heritage, little better
than kind of withered grass and in times of scar
city has been sustained several days without water
taking only handful of maize" A few of these
animals have been introduced into this country. but
at present the attempt can be regarded only as an
eXperlment.-Plttsb0gh. american.