The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1881-03-11
TIE ANGoRA Ga.E
a ss" Field for HEsmiaE stock
EAea.

NA2
tied several ranches. the owners Of
which raise Angora goats. and found
their new business very profitable, has
obtained from Mr.. G. B. Bailey, of
San Jose, Cal, who imported about one
thousand of these goats into Wyoming
last summer, much valuable Informal
tion regarding these animals.
The original habitation of this goat
is Angora, a district of Asia Minor, de-
irving its modern name from the city
of Angora. This district is mostly a
table land of 5000 feet average eleva-
tion, lying between the Taurus and
the Anti-Taurus mountains. 1t some
times rises TO eminences within the
line of perpetual SHOWS, and again
sinks into valleys below the level of the
sea. The soil of the hills is dry and
hard the climate is arid and the herb
age seant. The hocks of some loea-
tons show a marked superiority, which
is attributed by the natives to the fact
that they are constantly kept on the
bills and mountain sides where the
atmosphere is rarer and more salubrious
than on the lower levels, and where a
wider range of exercise is afforded.
These conditions are said to produce
healthier animals and a better kind of
fleece.
In appearance the Angora or Mo-
hair goats are somewhat smaller than
the common goat; the fleece, when
~full-grown, hangs in natural ringlets,
almost touching the ground; the head
is small and shapely; and both sexes
have fiat, corrugated horns, from eigh-
teen to t~wenty-four inches long fac
cording to age), that dIverge from the
top of the head. On the wide plateaus
and in deep gullies of Central Asia
Minor, these goats are tended in nocks
of from 200 to 5000 head, generally
mixed with sheep. There are few
more beautiful objects than a large
flock, in full fleece, scattered over some
rugged mountain side, under the un-
clouded blue tof an Asiatic sky, their
snowy ieeces glittering like silver in
the brilliant sunshine, and the small
bronze bells hung on the necks of the
rams Ginning as they move about. They
are very tame, and will rapidly ap-
proach when called.
No ordinary fence will restrain them.
They are SO restless, energetic, and de-
structive that cultivated plants in their
vicinity have to be carefully guarded.
They will not, therefore, supersede
sheep on good grass lands; but there
are immense tracts in this section, now
practically idle and valueless, that,
were these goats introduced, might be
taken up and utilized in the production
of a very important staple, both for To-
cal manufacture and export.
With regard to the breeding of the
Angora goat, and cross-breeding it with
the common species, there are two diff
ferent theories. One is, that the best
mode of beginning q flock is to COM
mence with a few thoroughbred goats
of both sexes and trust entirely to their
natural increase. The objection to
this is the outlay at the outset, and the
time that must elapse before a large
number can be raised. The altcrna-
tive plan is to introduce a small but
choice selection of thoroughbred rams,
and cross the common ewe-goat with
these. In three or five years a large
and valuable flock is collected, only
limited by the number of common
goats procured at the outset. Theo-
rists object to this system, that perfect
purity of breed cannot be reached; but,
practically, every trace OF underlined
ing can be eliminated and the standard
of the pure goat reached; the mohair
being as fine, as long, though perhaps
scarcely as abundant, as in the thor
oughbred, while the silky luster so
much valued by spinners is undoubted-
ly greater. In practice, a combination
of the two methods has been found the
most profitable; that is, a small flock
consisting of say ninety thoroughbred
ives and ten pure Angora rams, kept
carefully apart, and used as a feeder
for as many common eve goats as are
procurable.
As regards the value of the fleece,
both quality and price, vary much; but
fair average mohair is worth from Coo
to S1.25 per pound; the average yield
being five to six pounds, or say, Sc per
head per annum.
The flesh of a mohair goat in good
condition much resembles mutton. 1t
is somewhat 6rmer in fiber, and quite
as palatable; in fact, those accustomed
to both prefer it; and it is entirely free
from the peculiar odor that character
ICES common goats flesh. The wethers
accumulate large quantities of internal
fat, which is remarkably firm and
white, and makes valuable tallow. The
eve gives abundance of milk, and from
it is made that slightly-acid curd called
'yort' in Turkish, so highly praised by
Capt. Burnaby in his recent work,
sOn Horseback Across Asia Minor
The skin is soft and flexible, can be
beautifully cured and tanned, and from
it in Turkey is made the best quality of
what is known In Europe as morocco
leather. The skins, when taken off
with the hair, are also valuable articles
sof merchandise. They command high
prices for carriage and drawing room
rugs.