The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-05-06
next year. These animals are appraised at
$500 each, but are not for sale.

next year. These animals are appraised at
$500 each, but are not for sale.
USES FOR HAIR AND SKINS.
The best material is made into pushes,
serges. rugs. shawls. braids, yarns, poplins.
brilliantines and many other fabrics. Low
grades and short heeces are used for car
riage robes, horse blankets and the like
The coarse growth foot long, of old
bucks and wethers is used for dolls hair
and for gray wigs, for which purposes 1t
sometimes commands as much as IS cents
pound. Other uncommon uses TO which
mohair has been put are in the manufac-
ture of imitation furS and laces and even
ostrich feathers. The best mohair pushes
are almost indestructible, some being prac-
tically as good as new after having been
in constant use as upholstery on certain
railway cars in this country for nearly
quarter Of a century. Mohair mixes best
with soft wool. in combination with which
trimmings, Innings, cloakings. bindings and
hosiery. 1t is also employed to lend luster
to many other fabrics.
There is a considerable trade in the skins
of Angora goats. both dried and dry-salted.
Other goats are valuable mainly for their
skins, from which many kinds of leather
are made, and the tanned hide or the An
CORA was the original Turkish morocco or
from Turkey, and sell here at the rate or
$150 for those Of ten pounds weight. Cape
skins bring from 81 to $50 each, and those
of domestic kids and large goats from
IS cents to S. respectively.
The meat of the young Angora wether is
said to be delicious. 1t has venison ia
vor, and is not strong and oily like the
flesh of most goats. A New Mexico breeder
told the writer that he had it on his table.
off and on, the year round. and preferred
1t to the best Southdown mutton. 1t Is al
ready coming into demand among the cpl
cures OF the great cities. The man from
New Mexico said that although the COM
mon goat has been called the poor man s
cow" his uncommon ones were bad mixers
and their butter was Indifferent. He was
not aware that any attempt had ever been
made to derive cheese from Angora milk,
but, mindful of the fact that the celebrated
Roquefort. Mont dor. LIE Sessenage and
Leroux of France and Switzerland are goat
products, said he meant to experiment In
this direction. Contrary to his experience
of the milking qualities of the Angora goat
Is that of the South Carolinian who wrote:
CORA buck and Maltese eve have
raised a doe that will give four quarts a
day of as good milk any cow on my
plantation. The feed Of one of my cows
will keep twelve goats"
THEY IMPROVE THE LAND.
An incidental advantage of keeping Ango-
"a goats is the resultant Improvement of
poor land. They are persistent scavengers.
and can be depended upon to destroy the
weeds which beset crops and every unde-
sirable product of cultivated and fallow
tracts Other domestic animals prefer the
cereals and grasses, but the goats pass by
grass and grain for wild carrot, burdock,
mullen, thistle or cactus; so that clean
carpet of blue grass and clover often fol-
lows the second or third year of goat pas
turage, when the goats may be turned into
new fields. In regard to their lberty-loving
nature, a New England fancier said re-
Gently:
During August / had a small piece of
moving land which fenced in temporarily
for twelve goats, so that they might feed
II down before ploughing. They were per-
fectly contented for day or two, then they
began to get uneasy, and got out, and Il
was almost impossible to keep them in. 1t
was some time before my man could dis
cover how they got out. 1t seems in putting
up the fence the wires were not drawn
tight. The goats discovered that by lying
down and turning on their backs they could
get their heads under the wire, then by
bringing their front feet forward under
the wire they could raise il high enough TO
push their bodies through. could not be-
lieve this until / saw them do it myself
My man then got small stakes, and drove
them into the ground between the posts.
and tied the wires TO them. The goats were
turned in once more, and they wandered
about for a little while, then got together
about thirty feet from the fence, and all
made charge for il. but failed TO get
through; and they made a number OF
charges with the same result, and were
finally obliged to give it up. They would
not. however, remain contented. and in a
day or two I was obliged to have them
put back into the pastures.