Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1899-06-30

tl0n, what nave been regarded as the
"best lands by those who have had a
reasonable sufticiency of means for Sc
curing them. By the "best lands" it
has come to be understood, are meant
those which have rich soils, generally
speaking, bottom lands.
The more hilly and rough areas, espe-
cially those which are largely covered
with scrub brush, have been regarded
as comparatively worthless and have
laid to great extent unused, or have
fallen to the lot of those who are not
striving for superlative achievement,
and who, by the same token, are not.
as a rule, built to leave the beaten track
of stock raising, and put such lands to
their logically best use.
OF late years it has been dawning on
many of those who have had access to
this character of range that the Angora
goat, as medium for the proper util-
ization of such lands, has teen largely
overlooked. The breeding of these ami
mails has been for many years one of
the leading industries in Cape Colony,
and it is fair to say that the interest
and intelligence devoted to them in
that part of the world almost parallels
that given by our breeders to the lead
ing breeds of cattle and sheep in this
country. What we would regard as
fabulous sums have often been paid for
imported Angora goats at the Cape,
and are still paid for noted individuals
by prominent breeders when buying
home bred goats from one another 1t is
generally admitted now that painstak-
ing care has resulted in producing a
standard of greater excellence in the
Angora goat than exists in the country
of its nativity. Just as we in this conn
try have SO improved the Spanish Me-
rino sheep, that we would not now
think Of making further importations
from Spain. By judicious selection and
breeding there are now many thousands
of well bred Angora goats scattered
throughout the western and southwest
ern states, principally in Texas, to
which many of the original importa-
tions into America went, and among
those who have handled them for Sc
ries of years. they are no longer re-
garded in the light of an experimnt.
Their excellent and valuable qualities
are rapidly becoming better known in
a more general way. One of these char
acteristics is their adaptability to lands
which have been hitherto regarded with
SO much disfavor. On these, where
there is an abundance of underbrush,
the goats are in their element. The An
CORA is essentially browser. and while
it will thrive on grassy land itfeels
much more at home among hills and
scrub brush. and on such a character
Of range will attain its highest develop
ment. 1t is of an active temperament,
which prompts it to travel over a good
deal Of ground in search of its food, and
for this reason, while it does not in any
way interfere with other stock. it does
not like to be herded in the same flock.
Sheep, for instance, are too slow in their
to suit goats, which cover
more ground in day and are more in
clined to herd in one bunch and less ad
dicted to scattering.
Where confined to limited area they
will effectually destroy underbrush by
keeping the leaves eaten off. They are
kept with this object in
view. though most breeders who realize
their value give them access to ample
brush, which they regard just as a
sheep man does his grass. and for the
same reason would not wish to Craze it |
so closely as to destroy it.
The Angora goat is rapidly coming
10 the front as an important factor in
the solution of the difficulty involved |
in the reclamation of our more noun
famous districts and bids fair to ap-
lessen the existing difference
between the values OF cur low lying or
evel land and those which, owing to
heir hilly and scrubby character, have
hitherto been regarded as having scarce
y any productive vaue.
w. q. HUGHES.