The Placer herald., 1873-01-04
HOUSE AND FARM.
THE AN(sORA GOAT.

Messrs. Landrum & Rodgers, Of Watson
vile, have issued very interest ng pamphlet
showing the history of the Angora goat at
bred il Asia and its introduction and progress
In America. One DR.. Davis was sent te
Turkey by the request Of the Sultan, under
Folks Administration, to experiment IN the
culture Of cotton, and on his return to Amer
lea in 1S4S brought nine head Of tine-feeced
goats. This pamphlet demonstrates that the
climate of California is peculiarly adapted tc
raising these animals, and submits the pro-
phecy that in forty years from the time o
their introduction America will produce more
fine mohair than all Asia. There arc now il
California 20, 900 goats Of the Angorl blood
started in 1861 from single imported buck.
The increase in our State is over one hun
dred per cent per annum. The region en-
bracei by California, Arizona and New
Mexico is the counterpart Of the native home
of the Angora goat. The experiments of
raising these goats have failed in France and
England. The famous cashmere goods are
made from the wool of the Ansora goat. In
Asia this goat is never killed till it is eight
years old, and the meat is considered the
finest in that country. A dry bench land is
considered the best for goatraising. OF
course, the imported animals have been
crossed with the common goat OF the county
The farmer desiring to experiment is ad-
vised to secure a flock of common eve goats
with blooded bucks. The common goat costs
about 50 so each the bucks $50 each. Tan
colored goats are not desirable. The main
point is to get an animal with short, fine,
slcek-looking hair, and no name or long locks
ON the tligh. The fact that fiber is coarse
does not lessen its value it it has length. A
long fleece on tue breast and belly is a mark
Of high breeding. A thick fleece is always
u good mark. 1t is goe1 sign to see wool
down the legs to the feet "Wool on Tie
boof'' indicates good stock. The "points'
of good animal are: short legs, long body,
thick neck, game eye, round ribs and square,
heavy thighs, and well developed in ali
masculine points. A pure AngorA goat is
always white. There is but one moiair
factory in America, as the manufacturer can
not afford to pay 90 cents per pound IN lur-
key, with cost of import tion aud duties, and
successfully compete with English capital
Mhen the wool is raised in America, as tine
cashmere fabrics can be manufactured Aefe
as in Europe. There is II growing demand
for all kinds of these woods In America-
California ought TO encourage tive expert
ment in the Angora goat aud has great ad-
vantages over other parts OF our country.
First, our climate is well adapted to then
raising we have abundance OF common goats
to begin with they are hardy animal and
will flourish best upon high mountain regions
and live where other stock will starve we
have a vast mountain region covered with
grass and brush that is suited to no other
animal, but will afford retreat for the goat
when all the valleys have been occupied for
agricultural purposes. The goat is less liable
TO poison than The sheep, feeds upon greater
and coarser variety OF vegetation, will Craze
farther from water, and is far more hardy,
less liable TO disease and lives to onethird
greater age. The raising of the Angora goat
is in California no longer an experiment,
and our mountain farmers could not do bet
ter than to turn their attention to the cultva-
tion of "a superior breed of fne-heeced goats.
1t would utilize their now unemployed lands,
produce a marketable commodity always
commanding good price as for IA staple
article and would add one more to the pro-
ductive resources ofour State. In time man
ufactUries would be established, and new
source of productive industry opened 10 our
coast.-CMonicle.
Thomas and Shirland have at Auburn,
over a thousand graded goats, among
them being large number ,f full blooded
imported bucks aud does, for sale.- Ed.
HERALD.
been stated that no pasture could be found
better adapted to the susienance and fatten-
ing of cattle than alfalfa Its merits are
based on several distinct facts, established
by experience. First, it is more nutritious
than ordinary grass; second, it produces more
abundantly; third, it requires but little at
tention; fourth it is good either fer pasture,
when green, or hay, when cured These
conclusions were arrived at in a debate held
the other day before the Farmers Club of
Napa County. Mr.. Cornwell stated that he
had twenty acres in alfalfa, seeded in 1854
and although it had suffered greatly from
the depreciation of gophers, he eg.rded it as
the most profitable price of land he owned.
1t yields three times more feed for cattle
than any other pasture. In sowing, he
seeded first with grain, and when it was half
an in,.h high sowed tie alfalfa and brushed it
in.
He gave the grain start SO that it would
protect the alfalfa FROM frost. lie under
stood that seed raised here y not as tender
rs that which comes from Chile. The seed
is worth 25@3Oc, per pound. The second
year aftc, sowing his, he cut it down five
times. Loose soil is more favorable than
heavy. Mr.. Trubody has neishbor who
sowed three or four acres of alfalfa on low,
close land, and cut from it seven tons to the
acre. He thought there was no trouble il
producing it, it it was safe beyond the dan
ger of frost Mr. Mclntire had a similar
experience to relate. Alfalfa, he said, does