The Placer herald., 1873-10-25
TIE ANGORA GOAT.


the breeding of Angora goats in California
Clara Fair, we think will p,o,e of more in
terest to the enterprizing reader than any
other matter we could select for this column
The facts set forth below are Of peculiar in
terest to the people of Placer, since such 6
large portion Of our county is so tavorably
adapted to tie raising of this particular ami
NAL as proven by the success of Thomas &
Sbirland, who range their goats on the steeI
hillside of the American river, only few
miles from this town, aud report them doing
well.
There were on exhibition at the Santa Clara
county Fair sixteen Angora goats, or rather,
four goats Of pure blood and twelve of grad
ed stock. They were all exhibited by Lew
is g. McCracken. One of the four pure
bloods is a eve, empress" which with
two of the bucks, "Clarley Rogers" and
'Prince of Pine Mountain were raised in
this STATE. The other is from the stock of
Richard Peters, of Atlant !, Georgia, par.
chased last year, together with the greater
portion of Mr.. Peters herd, by Landrum &
Rogers, of Watsonville Mr.. Landrum is
an enthusiast on the subject of Angora goats,
and many people are familiar with his glow
ing descriptions Of the grand results that may
be attained in California by the propagation
of this valuable animal. Mr. Lewis who
has been in tie business four years, is man
of clear, calm judgment, close observer, a
good business man, and one on whose word
the utmost reliance may be placed. lie has
made the business Il success, and he gives
every assurance that it will ultimately be-
come one of the leading industries of the
State. His partner, McCracken, who has
had six years experience, says the same.
THE REASONS WHY.
The climate of IL southern counties is
admirably adapted to the goat, and the val
leys also of the northern part of the State.
Continual wheat raising will impoverish the
land, and farmers will eventually be COM
PEELED to let it rest, and TO do something al
SO toward enriching it, and Mr.. Lewis says
both of these desirable ends are attained
when goats are placed on the land. Many
farms become weedy in time, and there is
no way for exterminatng weeds so efiectual
and at the same time so cheap as by turn
ing on goats.
POOR LAND GOOD ENOUGH FOR GOATS.
There are also in this State millions o
acres of land that are fit for little else thar
goat range. Goats will thrive where sheer
would starve. Goats require less watel
than sheep and will travel farther to find il
without injury TO the herd than it is posi-
ble for sheep to do. They will Craze five
miles from water and do well. Goats re-
quire less expense for herders than sheep.
They keep well together, and come into the
corral at night of their own accord. They
will eat almost anything in the form of veg
etable, such as tar-weed, smart-weed, this
ties, ratleweed, poison oak, etc, and will
browse and grow fat on bushes, such as are
common on tie I'll lands of California
They eat bitter herbs, such as wild worm
wood, wild tanzy, etc.
OTHER ADVANTAGES.
Goats will increase faster than sheep,
they are longer lived, yield nearly as mucl
wool as the common sheep, and the product
brings much higher price. The fibre is
strong, more lusrous, and wears better thar
wool. Goat meat is really preferable tC
mutton, and if people are not told that it il
goat meat they consider it the chest laml
ever eaten" The meat is best when til,
animals are fresh from the range. 1t doe
not agree with them to be confined loag il
slaughterhouse yards, though the goat is il
general less liable to disease than sheep.
NUMBER OF ANGoRA GOATS IN CALIFORNIA.
1t is thought there are over 10000 goat
in this State, from half to the pur,
Angora. OF the latter there are far more
here than in all other States of the Unior
combined. The experiment has been a fail
nre in the Eastern States, owing to the colo
rains and severe winters. Goats are hardy
yet they require dry climate and shelter
from lorg rains. They can not be success
fully kept in California without shelter
Among those who have gone into the busi
ness in Santa Clara County, are the follow
isg: Lewis & McCracken have cighteer
pure blood and 2, 200 graded goats. Roya
Cottle has about LOCO; l.. Cary 500
james Sargent has several hundred Ii
Monterey there are a much larger number
as the most extensive owners in the State
reside there, including Landrum & Rogers
of Watsonvle; Buterteld & son, Of San
Benito; Jessie ID. Carr, of Gaban; Nh
Flint and others. All these men are salts
fed with the business and believe in it
Some of them have made it very profitable
others have not made it specially, and dc
not know how much they have made, al
though their focks have greatly increased
in value
WHAT CAN BE DONE WITH THE PELTs.
Until within the year past most of the
pelts taken off in California have been de-
nuded of the hair and the hide tanned
though without much profit, but now they
are prepared with the fleece on, at the tan
merry of Jacob Eberhardt, Santa Clara, the
only place in the country where these skin,
have been made valuable in this manner
The hide, after the process, is as soft ant
plable as buckskin, and of pure white
or any color desired. In this shape they