The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1912-05-30
RIA
Skins are Imported Into the
United States by the
Millions.

have been imported into the United
States during the last decade, and
the money sent out OF the country
in payment therefor amounts TO
$50 million dollars. The iigures OF
the Bureau of Statistics. Department
of Commerce and Labor, show that
the goat skins imported into the
United States have ranged in value
from 20 to 80 million dollars per
annum during the last decade, max
ing total for the period in question
of slightly more than $50 million
dollars. The number Of goats
whose skins are represented by this
$50 million dollars is approximately
500 million, since the average value
of the goat skins now being imported
rs. according to the figures of the
Bureau OF Statistics, about fifty
cents each.
This statement of the large value
(s25o,O0O,O0O) of goat skins
imported during the last decade, to-
gether. with that indicating that the
number of goats which this $780,
100000 represents is approximately
500 million, is extremely suggestive
in conjunction with a statement re-
Gently supplied to the Bureau OF
Manufactures, Department of Com
.merce and Labor, by the United
States consul at Vera Cruz, Mexico,
from which country large numbers
OF these skins are imported, in
which he says that the meat of the
goat, which is used as food and
found very similar to that of the
sheep, is of even greater value than
that OF the hides, and that the
goats are grown in large numbers
upon lands not available for agri-
cultural purposes. "The dry plains
of Nuevo Leon" he adds, ''wifR
scant growth OF brush, are abe to
support large fiocks Of goats,
though these same plains will !, not
produce corn, cane or grass, unless
water is supplied for irrigation.
9 Mountain lands and rough
broken section of foothill lands
may be secured for about 81 per
acre and each acre will, in the moist
regions, support five or six goats.
: : The steep mountain sides, the
deep gorges, the narrow valleys COW
cred everywhere with exuberantI
vegetation afford congenlal feeding
grounds for goats. :" . The value
of the goat depends upon three
things: Meat. tallow and the skin.
The matter OF fresh meat in the
farming districts of the hot country
is greatly simplifed by the breed
ing of goats, and the flesh
alone would make a profitable in
dustry /"
The above statement Indicating
that large additions to the meat sup
ply of the United States may be
grown upon lands not available for
general agricultural purposes, to-
gether with the statement of the
Bureau OF Statistics that the skins
of so million goats are imported an
nually into the United States,
with the further well known
fact that the meat OF goats is now
being sold in the markets OF many
cities of the United States, offers AM
suggestion as to the pos
sibilities OF large additions to the
meat supply of the United States and
the retention at home of the 25 mil
lion dollars per annum now being
sent out of the country for the pur-
chase OF goat skins.
British India supplies about one
third the entire importations Of goat
skins into the United States, that
country having been credited with
is million skins out of total OIL
70 million imported in the fiscal year
1911. The next largest importa-
tions OF that year were 6 80 million
from China, million from Mexico,
2 ga million from Alden, Arabia;
2 IA million from England, / IL
million from British East Africa, q
million from Brazil, l 1-3 million
from Argentina. million from
Venezuela, about million each
from Turkey in Asia. Considerable
amounts are also imported from
Turkey. AustriaIHungary. Germany,
Italy. Peru. the Dutch East Indies
and French Africa.
The following statement furnished
by the American consul quoted
above and printed in the Daily
counslar and Trade Report by the
Bureau of Manufactures OF the De-
partment OF Commerce and Labor,
vii! serve as an illustration of how
the business az Goat raising 20 NV,