Evening star., 1901-02-02
FLEECE OF ANGORA GOATS
MILLION POUNDS ANNUALLY PRO-
DUCED IN UNITED STATES.
Statement Issued by the Department
of Agriculture Respecting
Grades and Values.

The Department Of Agriculture annually
receives thousands Of letters of inquiry con-
corning Angora goats. and in view Of the
interest taken in the subject Mr.. D. E.
Salmon chief of the bureau Of animal in
dustry, recently made some Investigations on
the subject. 1t Is estimated he says, that
there are about 100000 Angora goats in the
United States, and that their annual pro-
duction Of fleece is over million pounds
The history Of the Angora goat in the
United States. Mr.. Salmon says, has been
marred by the carelessness or Indifference
of occasional writers for the press, who
have often been inaccurate as to dates or
facts, and also by others whose interests
have doubtless led them into exaggerattons.
The real facts of its history. however, are
so few and 50 simple as to prompt that
venerable breeder, William M. Landrum
to say that they would make but very
small book. During the administration of
President Polk the Sultan OF Turkey re-
Quested Of him that he recommend some
one who would experiment in the culture
Of cotton in Turkey. Accordingly, DR.. James
b. Davis Of Columbia, s. c., was recon-
mended, and he received the appointment.
The work done by DR.. Davis appeared to
be highly gratifying to the sultan. and so,
upon his return, In 1S49. the sultan, desir-
ing to reciprocate the courtesy Of the Presi-
dent, presented him with nine Of the choic-
Peters, writing in 1876, says of these ami
mails: These doubtless were selected from
the herds OF Angora, district of country
lying among the Taurus mountains, which
traverse Asiatic Turkey, and which de-
rives its name from it's principal city, sit
uated about 200 miles east Of CONSTANT
nople." 1t does not seem, therefore. that
DR.. Davis encountered any great difficulty
in securing this first importation Of Angora
goats into this country.
'Of the nine AngOraS Imported by DR..
Davis. seven were does and two were bucks.
Besides these. according to Col. Peters.
Thibet doe. several head Of crosses between
the Angora and Thibet goats and quite
number of grade does bred from the COM
mon short-haired ewes Of the country and
his Angora bucks.
The Cashmere Fleece.
"The soft undercoat Of the Cashmere is
known as pashum,' and is the product
from which the famous Cashmere shawl
was made. Mr.. VIM. NJ Landrum. who
was probably the first In this country to
discover that our so-called Cashmere goat
was the Angora instead. through investiga-
tions made about 1881, also states that there
is difference between the Cashmere shawl
and the Paisley shawl. These are often
referred to as being the same shawl While
the filing Of both shawls was Of pashum
the chain Of the latter was made from the
combed out in the spring, and is worth
when cleaned, in the country where II is
produced. from $3.50 to $2 per pound.
Most Useful of Animals,
"A large class Of people in some way
have become possessed of the opinion that
the goat Is practically a useless animal.
They do not reach conclusions upon In
vestigations. however. and do not dis
criminate between the different breeds. To
them goat Is a goat and there the areu-
ment ends. Investigations prove that the
Angora goats are not only classed among
the most useful Of the domestic animals.
and have been SO classed for thousands Of
years. but their usefulness Is manifested in
variety Of ways. The fleece, called mo
hair. furnishes SOME Of the finest of
fabrics among ladies' goods and is used
In various other manufactures; their habit
OF browsing enables the farmer in a wood
ed locality to use them to help II, s,Ibiu-.
eating the forest: their flesh is exceeding
ly delicate and nutritious: the milk, though
not so abundant as with the milch breed
Of goats, Is richer than cows milk: their
tanned skins. though, inferior in quality to
the skins of the common goat, are used
tor leather; their pelts make the neatest
Of rugs and robes:- they ara excellent pets
for children: few OF them In q flock Of
sheep are q protection from wolves and