The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-06-09
rha Anaora Goat.

Eirginia--which we Win ano"Si
,hstroc, of information kindly 1urn'shco ny
Co,onel CApRos, OF the Agricultural depart
ment at Washington.
The Aneora goat is named after pro-
vince in Anatola lancicnt Cappadocla)' III
Asia Minor, in which IL is found. Both the
Anoora and the Cashmere goat arc de-
scendcd from the Thibct goat, of TartaIy,
which grazcd amongst the valleys OF the
u;mmalava mountains, and which origi-
nally nroduccd the wool which was manu-
f,ct,red into the elegant and costly shawls
60 famed in the world. The distinctive
traits of the Angora aud the Cashmere are
that the former has larger ears and shorter
tail than the latter; and while the latter Is
generally white, with its outer coat or long
hair straight and glossy, the former Is Oh
various colors. from pied gray to black,
and its outer coat is wavy, and slightly
coarscr than that Of the Cashmere. The
under coat of downy wool Is very fine IN
both, and both have contributed the eX-
ccedincly delicate fleece that has been EN-
pioyed in the making ofthe word-rcnowned
fabrics which have been exported from Per-
sia and Asia Minor. The whole fleece Is
highly valuable, and employed in mnutac-
turing. The under coat is much finer than
the outer, but that is long, fine, and silky.
The fleece of the vcarlings and ewes is more
delicate than that Of the males. The eve
shares from three to five pounds, and the
! buck from five to nine.
/ bo hcu 10 a
animal His dispositions are gentle and DO
nestle. Both the Angora and the Cash
mere exhibit a strong attachment to locali-
ties, and though wandering miles away IN
mountainous countries after the heritage,
buds, and grass, they are fond OF, they VIII
at the proper time return to their homes.
They are exceedingly healthy and easily
raised. They are said to produce much
better aeeces in some localities of Asia Mi
nor than others. No doubt because of bet
ter food and better air. They thrive best in
drv situations, and in elevated undrllating
sections Of country. The herdsmcn in the
mountain regions Of Asia Minor cndcaYor
to supply them with green food the year
round by seeking successfully the elevations
which afford the continuous supply. An
author, in describing the habits Of these
goats, saws their fayorite food is "buds,
aromatic plants, rue, and heath" Indeed,
the goat will eat many things that would be
indigestible with other animals, occasionally
eating with mpunity things that are poison
Gus. But it is very clear that liberal feeding
or good paSturagc is essential to the produc-
ton of the best and heaviest fleeces.
The Angora and Cashmere goat are found
in all that wide country extending from
Thibet to the Holy Land, and may therefore
be cultivated in any part of this country.
But the latitude Of Virginia, we take it, is
the very best Of all for them. 1t has the
gentle temperature, the mountains, and
valleys, and waters, that would afford tor
the woo-bcaring goat an Improvement upon
his native home i'll Asia Minor.
The Angora goat was first imported into
this country about twenty years since by
DR.. DAVIS, OF South Carolina. He then
brought seven into the country. Since then
importations have been made, ria COnstan-
tinople, chiefly for the South and South
west, and there are now flocks Of from a
dozen to three and four hundred at different
places from Boston TO Georgia., and from
Pennsylvania to Missouri. California, too,
has Il soodly number. The report of the Ag-
ricultural Department for 1863 says " No
"wherc has the introduction and breeding
of the wool-bcaring goat been attended
"with the same cheering results and de-
'cidcd success rs in our own country
Since then this success has continued with
out interruption. FlockS are found III all
the western States and in West Virginia, as
we'll rs in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Ma
ry!and, and Georgia. The animal flouriSheS
best i'll the higher elevations, where the
temperature is lower. His fleece is better
and heavier, and he is better developed
there.
The reports from various graZiers to the
Department are very decidedly commcnda-
tory of the wool-bearing goat. Colonel Il.
II. SCOTT, of Kentucky, says that i'll his flock
of eighty head there was not Il sickly one,
and few We're not fat enough for mutton.
"Their food" he says, except in winter,
- IL OWillleu exclusive. III tic pi'Sttio"
"and they are so fond of weeds, bushes,
land briers, that they will eat them chiefly
"if accessible, and in this way are valuable
Gin cleaning our fields. : So far, have
"found them entirely free from disease,
"save an occasional humor in the cleft OF
.Ethe foot, which yields readily to the appli-
.'cation of blueStone or turpentine.
''The wcthers will weigh from sixty to
.'cighty pounds, yielding from ten to twenty
"pounds of very white and firm tallow. "
"'Thc dressed skins are valuable and in de-
.mand for ladies' flTs, buggy robes, saddle
"covers, and cradle spreads. The
| "skin or fleece receives various dyes with
"great facility" Colonel SCOTT also states
that the ewes are very prolific, doubling
their number each season.
Mr.. JOHN WALKER, of Lafayette, Mo-, u
! distinguished farmer and stock-raiser, who
| had Il superior flock, wrote that they stood
, the winter - better than other stock" and
that the cost Of keeping them was less than
any other animal. They Craze upon "iroll
Tweed, dock, mullen, briars, buds, and
broken sprouts" Mr.. WALKERS buck
sheared nine and thrce-quarter pounds his
1 pure blood eve, five pounds. ...
The reports from very many stock-rais-
ers in various parts of the United States
concur upon the main points relative to this
animal presented in this article. A report
J no al - hn h,,an