The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-05-06
RAISING ANGORA GOATS
AN INDUSTRY WHICH MIGHT BE
PROFITABLY EXTENDED.
Great Demand for the Fleece-Where
the First Specimens Came From
some Uses OF MOhair.
New York Evening Post.


In few branches of industry In this coun-
try is there such disparity between supply
and demand as exists in the production Of
mohair-the commercial classification of the
fleece OF the Angora goat textile fabric
second in value only to silk. The United
States raises less than half a million
pounds a year. while it manufactures in
one form or another In the same time not
far from three million pounds-that is, 1t
imports fxe-sixths OF the quantity it uses.
The annual product Of the whole world Is
about twenty million pounds, which seems
to be less than the world wants, as the
average price for the best grade of mo-
hair varies between 30 and so cents a pound,
three or four times the value of common
wool in corresponding quarters. The
worlds greatest mart for mohair is Liver
pool: Americas. Boston. with this city a
close second.
1t may seem strange that the Yankee
should not have given more attention to
the breeding Of the Angora goat, but as a
matter of fact there is no State or Terri
tory in which the goats are not raised,
Texas leading with 5000 head, California
following with $1,000, New Mexico with
$1,000. and the total approximating quar-
ter of million. In this State sheep and
goats are enumerated together, so it can
only be guessed how many of the Angora
animals there are. The ease with which
the goats can be kept. living as they do on
weeds, briers and other coarse heritage
fits them for many sections where sheep
cannot be sustained to advantage. They
are more like sheep than are any other
goats, even to the sound Of their bleat.
but differ in their ability and disposition
to defend themselves against dogs. They
are said to enjoy immunity from most of
the diseases to which sheep are liable and
seem to have few peculiar to- themselves.
are harder, longer lived and more prolific
than sheep, require less attention-the cost
of care is about half-and experience has
proved them readily adaptable to many
parts of the United States. These facts
should be considered in connection with
certain others contained In a recent year
book of the Department Of Agriculture,
namely. that there is an aggregate OF more
than 26O 600 900 acres of unimproved farm
land in this country outside of Alaska and
the newly acquired dependencies-more
territory than was covered by the original
States and the Louisiana purchase.
WHERE ANGORAS COME FROM.
Angora goats are supposed to have orig
mated in Thibet, though not found there
now Their principal present habitat is
Asiatic Turkey, and more especially the
province from which they take their name.
Mohair had achieved e worldwide reputa-
ton by the sixteenth century. but the ma
tives wished to monopolize it's production,
and 1t was many years thereafter before
they let single goat out Of their country.
But, of course, it was impossible to pre-
vent this altogether, and In time, though
not until comparatively recently, the in
dustry became established in South Africa.
Twenty years ago a law was passed abso-
lutely prohibiting the expectation Of the
animals; nevertheless. in 1895. Cecil Rhodes
succeeded in negotiating with the Sultan
for l64 thoroughbreds. These were sold at
auction, one buck bringing $3.50 and sew
eral does 81, 900 each. Premier Schreiner,
of Cape Colony, has written book about
the business.
Africa pursued much of the same policy
as Asia in trying to hinder the spread OF
the goats. and even now imposes a prac-
tically prohibitive export duty of $500 a
head on bucks and does alike. but this
could not keep the animals away from
America. In 1S45 the Sultan of Turkey
sent to the United States Department OF
Agriculture for man who understood the
cultivation of cotton In consequence, DR.
Davis. of South Carolina, spent two years
in Turkey. returning with nine Angora and
two Thibetan goats The former were the
first of their kind ever brought to this
country Even as late as 1862 mohair was
quoted here at IS pound. Now Asiatic
Turkey, Cape Colony and the United
States are the leading producers. in the
order named. Australia is the only coun-
try where the experiment has been fairly
tried and failed: Indifferent success In
France and Germany Is attributed to the
ignorance and neglect OF the farmers
The South African war is said 20 have al
ready done great damage TO the industry
there, and therefore the American breed
ers expect a boom in prices this year
A California man has what Is thought to
be the largest herd Of Angora goats in the
world. He considers thousand to fifteen
hundred the best number for a herd with
bucks and does In the proportion Of one to
fifty or seventy-five. Pure-bred bucks are
worth from s25 TO $40 head: does from 81
to IS. according to grade. The average
fleece OF thoroughbrcds is from four to six
pounds. but eight and ten pounds are not
uncommon There is South African An
CORA buck. Pasha by name, that can be
depended upon for at least twelve pounds
of mohair annually. From another and
larger buck brought from Turkey fleece
was taken one year that weighed fourteen
pounds and twelve ounces. and one weigh
Ing fifteen pounds and three ounces the