The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1905-08-03

EEEAF MIX Is 1ADb 4Ee5~~@N~N~@% F&N%A AN%RD4s
owing TO lack Of pastuTage- In addition
to the limited heritage. the sustenanee
of the goats is added to by feeding
them with carob beans and mixed cot
ton seed and bran, the extra feed cost
ing about cents per day per goat. It
would cost much more to feed COWS to
produce even fairly good milk which
would render the milk too expensive for
general use For this reason such
cows milk as we have is of very infe-
rior quality, and very limited in sup
ply.
1t has been estimated that there are
about 1900 goats on the islands. 1t
would be difficult to give the exact
number on account OF their frequent
shipment to Tunis, Italy. and other
Mediterranean countries. 1t is an old
adage here that no matter how much
better a Maltese goat may be fed and
pastured elsewhere, it does not thrive
as well as at Malta.
There are two varieties of thr goat
the short and long haired. In color
they are brown or white, about equally
divided. AS a rule they are dehorned
early. The milk produced is of very
superior quality, perhaps not as rich
as that o. an ordinary cow, and prac-
tically without cream, but nevertheless,
very acceptable for table and cooking
purposes. The average height Of the
| goat is two feet six inches, and its
weight often reaches nearly 100 pounds.
| No special attempt seems to be made
| by the herder in the matter of preser-
wing or refining strains, but, neTerthe-
less the Maltese goat seems to keep up
| its reputation for appearance and milk
production. As rule the Maltese goat
| does not breed before it is fifteen
months old; and generally breeds once
each year. 1t is not milked within
three months of breeding time and will
produce milk until it is eleven or
twelve years old.
Very few things are essential to care
for the goats. They are kept in herds
of from six to thirty animals, and one
| attendant often has the full charge of
and milks the latter number. 1t is an
| ordinary sight here to see the herds
| driven: through the principal streets
and MIXED at the doors of residences
where milk may be required. This
occurs not only once but two or three
times each day, and for this reason
| householders do not purchase their
days supply at one time but in small
! quantities, as if he is required. Goats
milk is sold at from eight to ten cents
quart. The small quantity of cows
milk sold is bought by few English
residents, and costs about eight cents
quart. Goats milk is not used here
for cheese or butter making. There
is variety of fresh butter and pecu-
liar kind of cheese produced in the
islands, but it is made of sleeps milk,
| Sheep, however, are very limited in
number and need hardly be taken into
consideration. The meat of kids, after
inspection by the health authorities,
brings about ten cents per pound, The
| law requires that they be at least one
month old before slaughter, at which
time they are to weigh not less than
twelve pounds. Goatskins are sold
with the hair on, and skins bring from
eighteen cents each upward. The
average yield fthe Maltese goat is
from two ortwo and half quarts of
milk daily. Its keeping quality Is about
the same as that of'e6ws' milk, and it
| is not uncommon for, it to keep for
twenty-four hours.
The average price 81. a fair Maltese
goat is $15 Some Of extra meritbring
much more. Most of the persons writ
ing to me desire to know the cost of
shipping from here to the Uniter States.
This is rather a difficult question to
answer, inasmuch as arrangements
would have to be made at the American
port rather than here, Another thing
that should be considered is that 1t
would prove a very expensive, and per-
haps useless, matter to ship them sing
ly or in very small numbers. Facilities
are very limited on steamers leaving
Malta for the United States. I believe,
however, that if say, 100 goats were
sent from here to Pa!mero to be there
transshippcd to the United States the
cost might be estimated at about S1,750.
This would include the cost of the
goats and the freight. Food sufficient
to last the herd from Malta to the
i United States could easily be shipped