Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1899-08-18
ANGoRA GOAT PRODUCTS.
Many Ways In Which the Animal. IL
Useful.

hair II goat skins, has only been cul-
tivatcd in this country about so years.
Few people know it's value and fewer
still! know that mohair is the fleece Of
this animal. The Angora has not yet
obtained a stqtus in agricultural jour
nails. Yet it is one of the most valu-
able Of animals, for it's fleece, pelt and
carcass. and one of the easiest and
cheapest to cultivate. There are in the
whole country now probably about
100000 head of Angoras including all
degrees of blood near and remote. OF
these probably not V one-third can
be called high grade even by cour-
tesy. OF pure blood there is none, eX-
ccpt possibly a flock in a remote re-
gion, which has been kept intact from
cross breeding, but has been inbred
since 1876. OF imported animals from
Turkey since 1S49 there have come in
to the country, so far as records show,
about $50 Angora rams and ewes,
many of them Of doubtful blood. or
really high character and grade prob
ably not over 80 rams, all told, have
come from Turkey.
"From this foundation has beer bred
up the present stock. Between cross
breeding and in breeding whatever
pure blood there was has beer pretty
well eliminated, and the crying need
now is for good, pure, sound, first class
fresh bucks, a registry farm and a new
start. 1t needs some brains, energy
and money put into it to make it one Of
the best paying industries there is.
Unfortunately the constituency behind
the Angora in the United States today
has not a large vote like that back Of
the sheep. Up to date it has been
treated like any old goat in Shantyville
as not worth the stone that is thrown
ut it. 1t is impossible to get animals
from Turkey without a strong pressure
from government and diplomatic
sources.
"The most important product Of the
Angora is the long silky, wavy fleece
used either pure or in connection with
wool, silk, linen or carlton in a variety
Of fabrics for house furnishing and la
dies goods, b~rilliantines, Innings, braid,
pushes, astrakhan cloth, furniture COW
erings. curtain material. knit goods,
fancy effects in shawls and dress goods
and numerous other textiles. Its value
ranges for foreign from As to 80 cents
a pound and for domestic from % to So
cents. There are consumed annually
here about 100000 to 1,125,O0O
pounds, Of which the bulk has to be
imported, as only about 100000 to 300,-
900 pounds Of the domestic product are
long enough ard Of character to suit
manufacturing needs. The short. low
and cross bred hair is used for blan-
kcts, lap robes. rugs, carpets and low
goods generally, but even then is worth
more per pound than most sheep wool,
varying from 10 to p cents. The uses
for mohair are increasing every year,
and new outlets ore being found for it
as manufacturers are advancing in the
variety Of their products.
"Angora skins properly dressed, are
used white or tinted to manufacture
rugs, robes, carriage mats, fur sets for
children, trimming for ladies' furs,
and also for busters, horse head tas-
sells, doll hair and wigs. They are most
ly imported raw from the Cape Of
Good Hope and Turkey, and range in
value, duty paid, from $3.50 up to
$3.50 each, undrcssed. Domestic skins
arc in very limited supply and are
worth from so cents each for kids up
to 50 each for large full fleeced pelts.
The low, cross bred, common skins
and short pelts not suitable to dress
are used by morocco and glove leather
manufacturers and are worth from Is
to IS cents a pound for large sizes,
down to 10 and II cents for small ones
and kids.
"Thc flesh Of the Angora is said to
be excellent mutton and pronounced
as good as Southdown. 1t is quite
largely eaten in the west and in the
cast also, if people only knew it. There
is a prejudice against the name Of goat
meat, but those who know say it is
very good. The horns "a be utilized
in a variety Of ways, and not a part
Of the animal but has a value.
"We may add that the climatic con-
ditions and food supply Of q large part
of our mountainous country is admir-
ably adapted to Angora ranges and
there is not a state in the Union, east
or west, in which they cannot be
grown to good advantage. Another
point is that Notwithstanding the in
breeding. crossbreeding and inability
to get fresh blood, American ranch
men have improved the stock they had
to work with, just as they improved
the original Merino sheep, and believe
it gives them the material to do with
and they will in time produce a better
animal, larger and finer, than the or
iginal stock with nearly 5000 years Of
history behind it."
1t Pays to Think.
About IS per cent Of those who buy