The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1902-01-30
THE ANG0RA GOAT.
How First Imported.
ITS MANY USES,

By Harvie Jordan.
Owing to the wide and unusual in
terest manifested in the Angora goat
at this time, it might not be unlnter-
esting to discuss the description, habits,
etc., OF this valuable animal. In 1849
DR.. James B. Davis, OF South Carolina,
brought home with him as gift from
the Sultan OF Turkey nine Angora
goats, the first of these animals ever
imported to this country. These goats.
were all purchased, with one or two
exceptions, by Col. Richard Peters, of
Atlanta, Ga, from DaYis in 1858.
Later On Col. Peters imported others
and undertook to breed them on
more extensive scale, but they did not
prove satisfactory, yet this effort on
the part OF Col. Peters gave to him the
reputation OF being the pioneer in
Angora goat industry in this country.
But from the small beginning in 1853
the industry has been built up until
there are now thousands of these ami
mails in many parts of the Southwest
ern States. Large numbers of them have
been recently taken into Missouri and
Iowa, where they will be bred quite
extensively on ranches stocked with
them, and the industry may now be
said to have become prominent one.
The Angora goat, first discovered in
the province OF Angora, Turkey, has
been crossed with other breeds of goats
for different purposes until at this time
it is exceedingly doubtful if there Is in
any part of the world pure Angora,
as the animal originally existed. The
original Angora was quite small with
dazzling white fleece, and the animals
were 80 delicate as to render them un-
profitable therefore they were crossed
in Turkey with common goats to pro-
duce more hardy strain, yet not so
extensively as to seriously impair the
color, texture or value of the mohair
or fleece. The American Angora Of
the best breeds should show size and
strength equal to that of the common
goat with good covering of fine, silky
mohair, and among the best specimens
the mohair TUT on the forehead should
be we'll developed. The mohalr should
hang In long curly ringlets over the
entire body except on the face and
from the hooks of the legs down. Aside
from the high value of the animal
from its clipping of mohair, the animal
is much pr'zed for its food, and 1t re-
qulres an expert to detect the differ
ence in the taste OF the flesh from that
of the best butchered lambs. For this
reason the animal possesses a double
value, the same as sheep The annual
clipping runs all the way from two to
ten pounds of motair per animal, the
amount depending upon age OF animal,
climate, care, etc.
USES OF THE ANGORA.
The Angora goat is highly useful
animal for many purposes, and is priced
for such by those who breed them as
an industry. The fleece called emo
hair" furnishes some OF the finest fab
rics among ladies' dress goods, the
flesh is equal to that of spring lamb.
the animal is useful in clearing woods
and fields of underbrnsh and weeds,
and their milk is richer than cows
milk. Their tanned skins are used Tor
leather, the pelt makes beautifully
neat rug or robe, and the animals are
excellent pets for children. A few
Angora goats kept with a flock OF
sheep ara all absolute protection against
worthless and destructive dogs which
are menace to sheep breeding in the
South, They are of great assistance in
clearing land of underbrush and OBJ
noxlous weeds. In this respect they
will convert forest of tangled under
growth Into useful pasture for stock
within a short time, or SO kill down
the weeds and bushes on land es to
render Its clearing for cultivation an
easy and inexpensive lob by the farmer
One farmer in Iowa claims that with
10 goats to 40 acres he has within the
past few years converted 500 acres o.
land that was originally useless into an
elegant grass pasture.
Another farmer in Oregon elaine
that he now has pasture that main
talns 200 head OF sheep, which bad NJ
grass on it whatever a few years age
when he turned Angora goats on 1t
The goats killed out the brush auf
yrass has taken Its place. The Angor'
will thrive on any kind OF brush, brler
or weeds, it makes no particular differ
ence what 1t IS. Oak, cedar, sumac
sassafras, hickory, maple, ash, grape
; vines. persimm:n, briers of all kinds
elders, sage brush and almost all weeds
} give SPLENDID material for Angoras t
thrive upon. Without such pasturage
t of course, the animals must be fed.
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