The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1889-03-01

All these suggestions are b~aseless. A goat
is very much like a sheep, except that it is
more enterprising, restless and erratie, and
1t needs quito as good food and care to be a
source Of profit. The only places and cir
cumstances in which I know of goats being
kept profitably, with little trouble and ex-
pense, are the islands of the Pacific coast
where the modern Robinson Crusces live sur
rounded by their flocks and the ocean, which
makes the only fence that can restrain these
"birds of freedom'-as one might very well
call them from their Eighty habits and high
~roosting proclivities. l have known them to
get upon the roof Of a barn shed and bask In
the sun, and at night to choose the same
gently sloping roof for their sleeping place.
Perhaps this was to escape the prowling dogs,
which are as apt to make mutton of them Us
sheep.
Goats are quite as easily destroyed by dogs
as sheep are, although they are better able to
escape from attack by their superior agility.
They are equally subject to the diseases of
sheep as these are. Scab, f~oot-rot, liyer-rot,
and the ordinary troubles which affect neg
lected sheep, attack goats, and these animals
tOIuAiO HoiSO to AoSa SNA ~ OA
sheep do, SO that the charge OF a flock of
goats is no sinecure, unless one could have
a moderate sized island for his pasture,
where he could be monarch OF all he sur
veyed" with acme his right to dispute" But
the sea should be broad enough to prevent
Grant dogs from swimming over in pursuit
of their fayorite sport.
But, as to profit, there is profit in any in
dustry ii it is only properly pursued. The
fleece OF the Angora goat is a valuable staple
used in American factories for the making of
braids, tringes, and ~lustrous goods which
are generally known as mohair, and the
wool generally brings more than the feeces
of the long wool sheep. Sixty cents a pound
is about the average price, and a good fleece
will weigh eight pounds. Goats flesh is as
good as mutton, and the kid makes excellent
lamb. l have seen and eaten lamb which
had hair legs, but, keeping my WI counsel,
no one else had any suspicion that 1t was not
choice South Down. Nevertheless, goat NUT
ton and kid lamb are not free from a certain
natural prejudice dating back to primitive
times when the goat was supposed to be a
wicked animal, and most suitable to bear Vi
cariously the sins Of a whole nation, besides
being made the type Of the unregenerate
and vicious lost souls. Strangely enough,
this bad name still sticks to this useful race,
Inc it is undoubtedly a bar to the fully
profitable keeping of these really innocent
and valuable animals.
The famed Roquefort cheese is in part
made from goats milk. There is q certain
demand for them, for milking, by residents
of suburban localities. and for the so-called
all-purpose "dairy animal;' it is certainly
much In their favor that they yield a COM
paratively large quantity Of rich and sweet
milk, a valuable fleece, and quite possibly,
two pairs Of kids in the year, and at the end
they make good mutton. Nogeneral purpose
COW III she is ever found can do all this
Goat skins, too, bear a high price and are in
demand for the manufacture Of morocco and
kid leather, also Tor glove leather. In fact,
the goat has more valuable uses than any other
domestic animal, and if a flock is well cared
for, can be kept in due restraint, saved from
dogs, and, provided with any kind of nu-
~tritious pasfure-the better the more desir-
abbott would be more profitable than sheep
were it not for the prejudice against the use
OF its flesh for mutton.