Hutchinson gazette., 1900-03-22
The Cashmere Goat.

From Farmers Review; The en-
terprlsing undertaking OF Introducing
into the United States the Thlbet goat.
from the wool of which the famous
cashmere shawls are made, was
achieved about half a century ago,
after many difficulties, by DR., ]. b.
Davis, of Columbus, s. O., who was at
that time employed by tho Turkish
government In experimenting on the
growth OF cotton In tho Sultan's do
mlnion, He succeeded al great OK
pense In securing eleven goats OF tho
puro breed, which on his way home
he exhibited In Paris and London. Tho
value OF q flock may be estimated from
the fact that the price OF real Thibet
goat Ia In the neighborhood OF thou
sand dollars; and this price Is not a
speculative one, for no other neeced
animal has wool OF such hneness, soft
ness and durability,
The prices paid for genuine cash
mere shawls or those woven in India.
have sometimes been almost Fabulous.
q full-slzed shawl, such 40 Is called In
America a long shawl, commanding In
Paris or London from Ave hundred To-
Ave thousand dollars, according To
quality. Scarfs and square shawls, Boz
Ing smaller, sell for less. II Is u mis-
take, however, to suppose that all
these shawls are manufactured In
India In the shape In which they are
sold here; generally the centers and
the borders come out separately, and
are afterwards put together In slzes,
and even patterns, to suit customers,
Moreover, large number sold as real
cashmere are limitations made In
France, the Thlbet goat being Intro
duced there more than seventy-nve
years, and the cashmere initiated with
considerable skill. There Is also an
limitation OF the imitation" known
popularity as the French cashmere,
which contains none or very little OF
the wool OF even the Imported goats.
Judges Of shawls say that the gem
uine cashmere article made In india
can be told by It's having O less evenly
woven web and brighter colors than
those OF French manufacture; and ie
is likewise said that The border OF tho
real cashmere Is invariably woven In
small pieces which are sewed together
as the whole border 10 subsequently,
sewed to the center, though other Au|
thoritles deny the assertion that tho
skill OF India Is insufficient to brochS
shawl, or, In other words, to weave
the border and center In one piece, or
run the pattern Of one over the other.
Notwithstanding the successful Inn
itation of these shawls, fashion and
luxury still prefer tho apparently
ruder original. Just as laces woven
by hand bring greater prices than the
same pattern woven by machinery, %
cashmere shawl known to have
come from India will be valued more
; highly than the most perfect imita'
tion. This, however, may not be the
only reason. Persons who are familiar
with both the real and the Initiated
article contend that the former u
softer than the latter, partly from the
way the thread Is spun and partly
from the fact that the Thibet goat
when exported from Its native hills
perceptlbly deteriorates, When In thelH
original locality, they are a hardy
creature, and the nne. curled wool
which is 30 valuable, lies close to the
skin Just as the under hair of the com
mon goat lies under the upper. Dight
ounces OF the wool from full-sized
Thlbet goat Is large yield, but the
yearlings, from which the best II
taken, give even less, From three tt
four pounds Is required to make
shawl Of the common grade, and abol
Ave to make one of the larger siz'
and finer quality,
j. q. ALLsHousE.
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