Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1905-05-12
THE ANG0RA GOAT
INDUSTRY GROWING
Josephine County Man Says
Section Is an Ideal Place
for Raising Them.

Carolina imported few choice
Angoras from Turkey in Asia. So
highly were they priced that other
importations followed soon after.
These were pure bred Angoras of high
merit, and were soon crossed with our
native hair goat. This has been the
practice for n good many years. We
have now high grade and pure bred
focks in nearly every state in the
Union. So rapidly has the Angors
industry grown in the United States
that there are hundreds of thousands
of them. Oregon alone has about
100, 000 The demand for mohair is
very great. Manufacturers are find
ing new uses for mohair. l.. Levus-
sove of New York is now advertising
for long mohair, offering from 81. 90
to $500 per pound for it. There is not
one.half enough mohair raised in the
United States for home use. The
consumption of mohair in the United
States for 1899 was l,017, 600 pounds
and the number of pounds imported
was 1, ll9, 45G pounds. Since 1899 the
Angoras in the United States have
been increasing with great rapidity.
so has the demand for mohair.
The pelts of the Angora is also very
valuable. Bulletin No. 81, U. S. De.
partment of Agriculture. bureau of
animal industry, has this to say of the
pelts: "Angora pelts are used quite
extensively rs carriage robes and they
make up into very handsome ones
There was time when the buffalo,
the wolf and other wild animals sup
piled the demand for robes in this
country, but the extinction, praoti-
oally Of the buffalo and the great scar.
city.of the other animals has forced us
to look elsewhere for substitutes. An
effort is being made to substitute hides
of the Galloway and Polled Angus
breeds of cattle, but their high cost
will prevent their extensive use. These
conditions have resulted in a greater
demand for Angora skins for robes,
The skin is sufficiently tough for the
purpose and the fleece is easily dyed
any desirable color, this characteristic
has enabled Inscriptions dealers to
sometimes pass them off on purchasers
as the skins Of some rare animals. In
their natural color. the whitenoss and
brillianoy of which cannot be exoelled,
the skins of the kids, and younger does
are made up into robes for baby bug.
gies. There are probably greater
number used for this purpose at tho
present time than any other way. As
a general statement IL may be said that
Angora pelts are worth from $500 TO
$3. 90. The real value depends ON many
things, such as the size of the skins,
the length of the fleece upon 1t, and
the time Of year it was taken. As
rugs, these skins are found in many
households, and they are both orna-
mental and durable, They may be
used in their original whiteness or be
dyed any color to suit Their softnoss
makes them very desirable They are
extensively used for trimmings for
childron's oloaks and coats. Some
first. class skins have brought as high
as $lS 90 apiece for this purpose. "
The flesh of the Angora is now
termed Angora yenison, throughout
the United States. There has been a
prejudice against this meat in the
time past, but it is now about gone.
People have been finding out that 1t Is
very palatable and nutritious. It ia
one of the choicest of meats TO be used
as food.
As to the profit in Angora goats, 1t
will figaro out about as follows on a
band of 100 yearling does: They will
cost at 500 each, 5000. The fret
years income will be for mohair at
10 cents per head 1915, and 100 kids,
for Angoras will increase 100 por cent,
which at weaving time are worth g. 90
each. The kids at 300 ard the mohuir
at 1916, gives total income for the
band for the year of $40. It must bc
understood that woathers will shear
about twice NJ much as does Angora
does are good breeders until 3 year,
Of age, and have been known to breed
when 20 years old The cost Of keep.
ing tho band for the year would be d
small sum here in Southern Oregon
and would not exceed $500, for shear.
ing. feed and care So mild arc the
winters that very littlo feed is re-,
quired, and as for pasturage, that will
not cost anything, as thVro are thous
ands of acres OF hill and mountain
land that is free TO the pubic. Goau
can be kept on most any kind Of land
the rougher the land, tho better il
seems to suit thom. They will iy,
on weeds and brush almost the entire
year. The goat business is one tha
figures out right for 1t exchanRel
weeds and brush for money. Fol
clearing brush land they cannot b,
excelled They can be confined to
brush thicket and in about two son
sons land is cleared. They will do
better job Of clearing than men gen
orally do, as they will go into every
fence corner for all the sprouts.
The Angora industry in Oregon Il
developing with great rapidity Al
though Southern Oregon has not man,
goats, In the near future this will b.
the leading Angora district Of Oregon
Josephine county can maintain a
many goats az there arc now In Oregon
and not be oyer.stosked. The climat
! and pasturage conditions are ideal
The goat industry In America Is nov
1 In ita fufauov IA 4 uoxy an A A,n.rioa,