The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1910-08-10
A New Industry.

The Manufactures and Merchants Asso-
citation of Floyd County, Georgia, is TAX
ing steps to provide for a new industry.
That new industry is goat culture. .
Ordinarily this would be a theme for a
funny editorial, for if there is any Achan,
or Philistine, or Beelzebub in the camp Of
the average farmer, it is the capricious
goat. He is "animalia non grata" to the
ordinary farmer, and he finds no place
here unless nc has formed pleasant asso-
Citations with the little boy and the tin
wagon.
To mention goats to some is to raise the
hair, the goose tlesh-to stand the bristlcs
on end, to provoke ungentlemanly Ian
guage; and yet it was not always thus,
and is not thus now in other countries
than America.
The goat deserves consideration. Any
animal with the sang frUid and suavity
and utter independence Of the goat de-
serves more respect, and it is the purpose
of the Association of Floyd County to
bring about a better understanding and to
establish mutual relations between Floyd
Conntyites and the goat.
At the government station in Maryland
a large herd Of Georgia and Carolina goats
haye recently been gotten together for
the purpose of experimenting with them
in the effort to find IN animal that will
give a sufficient flow of milk to make goat
o,,l+,ro n ,,o,,;p ~ nrnppcitT,n Tho GpDr-
gia goat is said to be the best milk goat
yet discovered. The milk Of these goats is
in great demand for infants and invalids.
Floyd county is a billy country, and an
ideal goat country.
In other countries the goat holds a much
more enviable. position than here. In the
countries around the Mediterranean Sea
the goat entirely displaces the COW. Even
on the rocky island Of Malta, there are
thousands of goats which browse on the
scanty grass and herbagc, and furnish
milkEfor the people in plenty. In the
mornings the milk man rings his bell at
the door and milk is delivered or the spot,
fresh and .unwatered, for the milk man is
attended by his flock of goats, and they
are MIXED to suit your order. There are
many advantages to the milk man under
this method. 1t precludes the necessity
of carving tin cans: and churning the
milk in a wagon before delivery. 1t also
| gives him more time in which to do his
milking. And last but not least, it leaves
no opportunity of palming off on the Gus
toner watered milk.
We should cultivate a swider and more
intimate acquaintance with the goat. He
is a valuable animal and worthy more con"
sideration than we have been wont to
show him.
No agency has cause.-the goat to fall in"
to disrepute more than our Stock Law.
Owing to his rowing disposition and utter
disregard to confines, limits, and boundar'
les, a breach has been made between the
farmer and the goat which has constantly!
widened since the Inauguration of the
Stock Law. But the goat is a very domes-
tic animal withal. He is fond OF his home
gentle and very companionable-to boys.
His hide is valuable, his flesh most edible,
and as a milk supply, second to none.
In this day of wire fences there is no
reason why the goat should not resume
his former place in farm economy. The
average man in South Carolina would turn
I'D his proboscis at a glass Of goat milk
but the same individual will take his seat
at a table de hote" and eat Edam cheese
and R~ocquefert with a zest that bellies his
contempt for the milk.
The goat is alright, and the Floyd Coun-
ty farmers will do a good work for the
country if they succeed in reestabllshing
friendly relations between the nan and
the animal-but the trouble is on the side
Of the man.