The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1885-05-16
4Ng0R1 COATS.

4
lished At Austin, Texas, is a most en-
cellent and reliable authority on farm
and rancho subjects, and IN the humble
before ms has this to say about III,
Angora goat, which we copy as proc
infurtherancc of what we have sail
ourselves, from time to time, abou
these valuable little animals:
sThe prodnction Of the Angors
goat in Texas is beginning to at
tract attention as an important in
dnstFy. The pure blood is a beautifu
animal. From the Angora goat il
raised the long, silky fiber known As
mohair. Their color is very clear
white. They shear from two to four
pounds each, and the hair sells from
Fifty cents to seventy-ive cents 3
pound. They are as hardy as the
ordinary goat and require as little
care, but are not SO prolific. Their
meat is said to be equal to venison.
The dressed skins with the hair on
make elegant rugs, spreads, robes, ETC.,
and they are used abont the saddle
gear of the cowboy and for winter
oyereoais, and could be put to many
other useful purposes. There are nu-
merous fiocks scattered over Texas, and
they do especially well in billy and
mountainous, trashy sections. Those
who are engaged in the industry pro-
nounee il moro profitable than sheep
raising. The goats are almost exempt
from disease"
Our readers (farmer's) attention
are especially called to the above ex-
tract. Some of our citizens, Mr. Hi
ram Minis and others near or at Su-
gartOwn, have given these goats a
trial and they assure US that there is
no trouble in producing them in our
parish, especially in the 6rashy sec
tiOns. All the goats of this family
imported into our parish have, in
every instance, done well, and we
find it strange our farmers have not
given them more attention. Farm and
Rancho says they are more profitable
than sheep" then, why not raise the
goats instead? Then again, if these
more profitable goats should be substi-
tuted for sheep, our sheep killing
dogs, we believe, would stsrve to
death, or the raiser of sheep killing
dogs could pursue his fOndness for
raising them without injury to others
who are engaged in more laudable
industry.
We believe that there is no more
favorable localities for raising this an
imal, in the world, than the Bayou
Dinde, Schoupique, West Fork, Sa-
bine, and the 6rushy bottoms of our
streams generally, The dense, brushy
underground of these localities would
furnish browsing in winter and summer
for thousands and thousands of these
goats, and they would prove most
profitable addition to the resources of
the small farmer, one which would be
on hand without scarcely any labor or
care, comparatively. 1t is said they
are as hardy as the common or native
goat, and Mr.. Minis assures us such is
true. He has been trying them, and
speaks from experience. They are not
Ga experiment here any longer, then we
say get some of these animals and
raise them as quickly as possible.
We feel confident in saying to our far
mers that you will never regret having
them on hand-to the contrary, you
all will soon learn TO appreciate the
good of our suggestion.
If people will be SO mean as to per-
sist in raising sheep-killing dogs, and
the courts of our State will persist in
sustaining such people in their right
to do so, and the additional or conse-
quent right TO destroy valuable pro-
perty of the poor farmer, then they
must abandon sheep and raise these
goats, that's all.
BILLY" does not like dogs and dogs
do not like him, because of his manli-
ness in defending himself. He legis-
lates in his own interest and protec-
ton, and adjudges his own case. So
we say give him trial, everybody,
and We think be will be found equal
to the emergency.