Evening star., 1901-09-27
ANGORA GOAT INDUSTRY
SUBJECT TREATED IN BULLETIN OF
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
Area in Which the Animals Were
Bred at Close of Civil
War.

The Star several weeks ago announced
that considerable number of Angora
goats were to be taken into Prince Georges
county, Md. and established on a farm not
far from the District OF Columbia. 1t is
understood they will arrive there within
week or two. For some time past the De-
partment of Agriculture has been investI-
eating the subject OF goat raising, which.
In the opinion of those who are taking an
interest in the matter, is destined to become
in the near future one Of the prominent in
dustries of the country.
bulletin just issued under the direction
of Secretary Wilson states, among much
other interesting Information on the SUBJ
ject. that during the administration of
President Polk the Sultan of Turkey re-
quested OF him to recommend some one
who would experiment in cotton culture in
turkey. Accordingly, DR.. James b. Davis
OF Columbia, S. c., was recommended and
received the appointment. The work which
he did was so gratifying to the sultan that
upon the return of DR.. Davis to the United
States he reciprocated the courtesy of the
President by presenting the doctor with
nine Angora goats
The Davis importation of Angoras was
frequently exhibited at fairs, and every
where attracted much attention and re-
celved favorable comments. 1t was unfor-
tunate for the industry at that time that
the animals were thought to be of the
Cashmere breed, for everything that was
khown about the Cashmere goat was
Claimed for these goats. AS an Angora
goat cannot fulfill the requisites of Cash
mere goat any more satisfactorily than
Jersey cattle can serve the purposes of the
beef breeds. there was abundant room for
the disappointment which soon followed,
and which almost drove the Angora out Of
consideration.
The Importatfons.
I'm 1853" the bulletin states, the Davis
goats were purchased by Col. Richard
Peters of Atlanta, Ca, with the exception
Of one owned by Col. Wade Hampton Of
South Carolina, one by Mr.. Davenport OF
Virginia and one by Mr.. Osborne of New
York. Later Col. Peters imported others,
but they did not prove satisfactory. He f.
generally looked upon as the real founder
of the Angora goat industry in the United
States Other importations occurred frora
time to time up to 1876. In 1881 the sultan
absolutely prohibited the expectation Of
Angoras. and this prohibition is still in
effect. A few animals have been imported
from Cape Colony. Notwithstanding the
prohibition of expectations from Turkey,
DIR. w. c. Bailey of San Jose, Cal, visited
Asia Minor during the early months of this
year, and in April succeeded in shipping out
four goats. These arrived in New York in
April and left quarantine there for their
California home on May 8.
THE Angora goats of these several i'm
portations found their way into many Of
the southern and central states but for
some reason they seem not to have become
permanent industry there. At the close
Of the civil war about all the goats of this
breed that remained in this country were in
the southwestern states, principally in Texas,
New Mexico, Arizona and California. With
in the last few years they have gone into
Oregon in large numbers, and quite re-
Gently several thousand have been taken
into Iowa and Missouri. At the present
time 1t can safely be said that they may
be found in every state Of the Union. An
interest is manifested In them such as has
never been known before, and 1t is believed
that this interest will result in establishing
permanently an industry that will extend
to every part Of the country.