Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1911-12-30
HISTORICAL.

The Angora breed Of goats origin
ated in the vilayet Of Angora, in Asia
Minor, but it is not known when this
was. Some have ventured to say that
il was 2400 years ago. There Is pretty
strong evidence which goes to show
that they we're distinctive breed
when Moses was leading the Israelites
out of Egypt Goats hair was spun
by the Israelites for curtains and other
purposes for use in the temple. The
story recorded in / Samuel (chapter
19) of the artifice of Michael in de-
ceiving the messengers of Saul by
placing an image in the bed in place
of David and giving 1t a pillow of
goats hair, is believed by Pennant to
refer to a pillow made of the Angora
fleece.
The city Angora, or Enguri, the cap
ital city of the vilayet Of Angora, is
the ancient Ancyra, and is located
about 220 miles south by southeast
from Constantinople. Angora was the
seat Of one of the earliest Christian
churches, which was probably estab-
lished by the Apostle Paul. The prov
ince is mountainous to considerable
extent and furrowed by deep valleys.
1t Is about 1900 feet above the level
of the sea-
1t was here that this famous goat
reached its perfection That the alti-
tude, the soil, or the climate, or all
of them together had much influence
in producing this fleece-bearing goat,
is supported by strong evidence. DR..
John Bachman and the Encyclopedia
Britannica both state that the fineness
of the hair of the Angora goat may
perhaps be ascribed to some peculiar
ity in the atmosphere, for 1t is re-
markable that the cats, dogs, sheep
and other animals of the country are
TO certain extent affected in the
same way as the goats" The same
opinion was expressed by Captain
Conolly, quoted by Southey QS48):
1T is remarkable that wherever these
goats exist the cats and greyhounds
have long silky hair also--the cats
all over their ears and tails" These
statements led Schreiner to the con-
clusion that the atmosphere is the
chief factor.-By Geo. Fayette Thomp-
son, M. s., in "The Angora Goat" U.
s. Dept. Agriculture, Bulletin 27.
The history of the Angora goat In
the United States dates from 1849
(see Practical Angora Goat Raising,
by G. P. Bailey & Sons). DR.. James
b. Davis of Columbia, South Carolina,
was presented with nine choice ami
mails by the Sultan Of Turkey. The
sultan had requested President Polk
to send a man to Turkey who under
stood the culture of cotton Dr. Davis
was appointed. and upon his return
to America, as courtesy, the sultan
presented him with the goats.
Col. Richard Peters, of Atlanta,
Georgia, in 1854, secured most of
these goats, and in 1885 made an ex-
hibit Of their progeny at the New Or
leans Worlds Fair. These were fol-
lowed by the Chanery importation in
1t was from some Of these that the
famous flock of G. P. Bailey & Sons
was started.
Then followed the Eutichides impor-
tations OF 1873, the Hall & Harris OF
1878, the Jenks in 1880, and the Bal
10y importation of 1898. In 1901 W.
c. Bailey imported two bucks and two
does from Asia Minor direct, and in
1901 VIM. Landrum imported two
bucks from South Africa, and Hoerle
in 1904 imported about 1870 head from
South Africa.
At the present time 1t is highly inn
probable that any more importations
can be made, as a royal decree pro-
hiblts exports from Asia Minor and
a prOhlbitlve duty in South Africa of
4S6.65 has destroyed any hope of a
successful Importation from that
country.
However, as It is now generally
conceded that our flocks are of as
high quality as any there, we have
nothing much to lose by these re-
strlctions.
The Industry In the Northwest.
The Angora goats of the Northwest
are of particularly good type, the
foundation stock being the high-grade
Angoras introduced fifty years ago,
In 1879 or '7S Mr., Landrum exhib-
tied small flock of Angoras at the