The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1874-10-17
Mohair and its Uses.

AZ growing mO1&lr promises very shortly TO
become an important industry, says the Colorado
AgricuhuriSt and Stock Journal, on the Pacific
coast, a few facts and figures concerning that
industry MAJ prove interesting TO some Of our
readers. Until within the last few years the
production of this clothing material has been
confined chiefly to mall districts of Europe and
| Asia-Angora, IN Central Asia Minor, being the
principal one. The worlds production of AngoIa
fleece amounts to only about 7,000,0 900 pounds
annually, as shown by statistics, and it is asserted
on good authority that the mohair manufacturers
number but eleven in the entire world. a COM
parative monopoly on the part of the producers
has been the consequence, and a corresponding
monopoly on the part of the manufacturers the
result. Hence the fabulous prices of all mohair
goods. OF these eleven manufactures Of mohair
goods, not more than two or three are in the
United States. The proprietors Of one mill in
Providence. Rhode Island, imported in 1868 sew
enty thousand dollars worth Of machinery for the
exclusive purpose of working up Angora fleece.
Within a year after starting they had consumed
all the fleece that could be obtained in the coun-
try, being the accumulations Of ten years among
wool dealers, besides importing 20, 900 pounds
from Asia Minor, and still they were short of the
needful supply to keep their machinery in mo-
ton. Within the last three years more than fifty
different new varieties of mohair goods have been
produced by American manufacturers and intro
duced into the commerce of the world. These
include watered camlets, possessing a beauty and
b~rilliancy of surface unapproached by fabrics
made of luster woods, and barely rivalled by silks,
decorative laces, buttons, braidings, coat trim
miDgs, light and durable cloths of elegant texture
and repellant of water. light lustrous, rich ar
ticles of dress for the wealthiest ladies of fashion.
and possessing an unequalled gloss, softness,
strength and durability. In France a kind of
lace is now made which is substituted for the
very costly fabrics of Valenciennes and Chantilly,
said to be cheaper, more durable, and equally
beautiful. Utrecht velvets have been for some
years made in the same country, and more re-
Gently in England for hangings, furniture trim
mings, Innings Of carriages, fringes, tassels, etc.
been known to bring at retail five hundred dol
lars, while the best shawls made in France and
the East from mohair warp, using the fur for the
web or filling 1.-THE hair giving strength and dura-
bility, and the fur warmth and s~oftness) sell at
retail at enormous prices, from $500 to $4,000.
The skins of the young goats are frequently
dressed for furs, colored or not, and used for trim
mings, for the c~ostliest aides dresses, cloaks, etc.,
and for muffs and tippets. A single skin thus
dressed has been known to sell for from $25 to
500. Besides the fabrics made exclusively from
mohair, it is used in Irish poplins, brocades, and
in the famous Cashmere shawls. In America the
insuf6ciency of home production, the existence of
. monopoly on the part of foreign manufacturers,
and the exorbitant price of the raw material, have
c~onspired to discourage the manufacturers
Special machinery with expert workmen, CON-
handing high wages, are required, and these
cannot be set up, and employed with profit, when
the price OF raw material Is knTee 00Ah0TS q p0und
"a price the proprietors Of a mill in Lawrence,
Massachusetts,, refused to pay only a short time
ago, stopping their machinery rather than submit
70 the extortionate demands of the foreign pro-
1ucers and dealers, and being unable to procure
IN this country an adequate supply. By a calcu-
alton the natural increase of 5000 ewes reaches
N ten years the enormous number of $50, 713.
The sales of wethers and ewes (old) made from
to time during this period, amount to
s943 600, allowance being made for selling all
he wethers, and 10000 old wes the seventh
year; 81 VA the eighth year, and 39,02S the
ninth year. The fleece counting from the second
rear, (the first years being valueless) amounts in
line years to 05l ,162 pounds. Its value, estimate
ow, at 90 cents per pound for the second, third,
md fourth years at so cents for the fifth, sixth
md seventh years and at 81 for the eighth,
ninth and tenth years, amounts to a total of
sS77 $50 40. Sum up these results and we have
lie following
of wethers and ewes sold .........."....s $4,000 90
,sIas Q Of ssoct s2lq hand ar tenth year"-i;;oc 0'''''s :
ewes al $40 eaoh) '9osOOO %
Grand total. 27O,e59 40
Liberal margin has here been allowed for ex-
lenses, losses, and all reasonable contingencies,
by throwing off % per cent. Of the natural
Increase second, by deducting from the count
he 5000 common goats to start with and the
hird, by low estimates OF sales Of fleece and
took. The increase of the Angora is never less
han 100 per cent. often reaching to 80 per cent.
he ewes bear when one year of age, and when
be practice Of " breeding to points" is carefully
ursued, each succeeding generation improves In
uality and increases in value in proportion to its
rade. Hence, by retaining all the females as
)ng as they continue good breeders, and market
lg only the males, the ranchero gets the benefit
{ an increase which, in a few years, attains an
pparently fabulous figure.