Fergus County argus., 1901-11-13
The Climate and Altitude Of Montan;
is Specially Adapted to the Rais>
ing Of These Animals.
PROFITS FROM THEM ARE LARGE
John W. Fulton Has Been Making
Investigations, and Says That
They Would Pay Well

John w. Fulton will leave Tuesday
to attend the annual exhibit and sale
Of Angora goats to be held Mt Kansas
City by the American Angora Goat
Breeders association on the 18th ia
18th OF this mvnth.
Mr.. Fulton has been investigating
the Angora goat industry for some
time and believes il one that will
eventually become OF great impor.
tancc in this state, says the Helena
Herald.
Montana offers just the right eli.
matte conditions" said Mr.. Fulton
to the Herald, "for In considering
Angora culture II Is OF more impor.
tance to study the climate with refer
ence to moisture rather than temper.
ature. Re,ative to localities adapted
to the Angora goat the bulletin on
the industry issued this year by the
department of agriculture at Wash.
ington tells us that 1t should be re-
membered that the original home oI
tho goat is high upin the mountains,
where the air IL not so laden with
moisture. A high altitude IL n local
ity always preferable in goat culture.
This is especially true with Angoras,
us the climate in high altitude seems
to have beneficial effect upon the
mohair. The fleece Is best at an alti-
tude OF from 5000 to 5000 feet above
the sea level. In this respect Mon
tana admirably fills the bill, and the
thousands OF acres OF public land In
the foothills and mountains In the
western part Of the state are ideal
locations for the profitable pursuit Of
theindustry.
"As northern state Montana has
another advantage for the Angora
goat will thrive In any part OF our
country, but the yieiaso. mohair will
be greatest In the colder states. The
yield can be Increased fully one pound
on removing the goats from Texas OF
other southern states to any OF the
northern states.
"The Angora industry is truly one
Of especial interest to the people OF
Montana, for II promises to do much
toward bringing about the occupancy
and use Of lands not now employed
The cattle and sheep business Is now
conducted on such an extensive scal'
In this state that without the abso
lutte ownership or control Of larg'
areas OF grazing land and valuabl,
watering places, involving large In
vestments, one has but little show o
realizing profitably from the stool
business, while with the Angora goa
one needs but an inexpensive hom
plant and uses for his range the verl
mountainous lands that are avoide,
by cattle and sheep owners. In thl
way capital Is available for invest
ment to greater extent In animals
the real producing source oi the busI
ness. rather than In the non-produc
ing lands and range.
1.-The revenue and return per hea,
from mohair Is greater than realizes
from wool, and n greater percentag
of Increase In number over that q
sheep IL the rule. In this partlcula
the experience OF s. s. Brannin, VIII,
owns a large number Of AngOras Il
Montana, may well be cited, forfrou
3S2 nannies 400 healthy kids wer
dropped and saved at his ranch nea
Silver station last spring.
"The Angora Is q hardy animal
requires less attention than shee
and feeding from choice by browsing
ON the mountainsides, on weeds an
the coarser grasses, 1t cannot be sal
OF them, as Of sheep, that they iDjur
the range In any particular.
"They are caslly wintered, and rt
quire far less hay during the ieedln
time than do cattle or sheep.
"The consumption of mohair In til
United States IL far In excess Of th
domestic production, and owing I
the rapidly Increasing use Of nobaI
In the manufacture Of plush and drer
fabrics 1t Is safe to say this condltiu
will no doubt prevail for years t
come.
"Seemingly very forcible lesson
being taught by the endorsemer
given to this industry by the agr
cultural department at WasbIngt tol
by whom the subject has been e.
tensively treated In IL bulletin b
George Fayette Thompson, OF Il
bureau OF animal Industry. III
bulletin isfor gratuitous distribute
and can be had by addressing the d
pertinent"
Mr.. Fulton says IL Is his lntentiU
to famillarlze himself with the pr
vailing prices of Angoras OF goo
grade or what are termed goo
shearing goats" and arrange wit
southern owners this winterfor sbi
ments TO Montana next year.