The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1912-06-07

Is the Demand in This Coun-
try for Skins of
Goats Now.

WASHINGTON. p. C., June u.
Hundreds Of inquiries regarding the
possibilities in the United States Of
d great goat industry are now reach-
ing the Department Of comerce and
Labor. These inquiries are the re-
suit Of recent statement BY the.
Dureau OF Statistics Of that depart
ment that $50 million dollars had
been sent out of the country in the
lsst Seeade to purchase goat skins
for use in this country. and that the
commerciSl value Of the 500 million
goats which these skins represent
would, had they been grown in the
United States, have appropriated a.
billion dollars. These suggestions
coupled with the further fact. that
goats Of the class supplying the skins
in question could be grown upon
semi-orld and semi-mountainous
lands in the United States now psac-
tlcally untitled, have added to the
interest indicated by the inquiries,
now being made.
The statement of the Bureau Of
Statistics as to the number and value
Of goat skins now being imported,
was coupled with extracts from a
statement by the United States Con-
sui Canada at Vera Cruz, Mexico,
originally published by the Bufean
Of Manufactures Of the Department.
of Commerce and Labor. In this re-
port Consul Canada says: Goats
are raised in every state of the re-
public of Mexico. ss"The industry is
largely confined to the central table
lands though the animals thrive
everywhere and can be raised at a.
good profit over a wider range Of
territory than that on which cattle
may be successfully raised. .stThe
dry plains Of Nuevo Leon, with scant
growth OF brush, are able to support
large focks of goats, though these
same plains will not produce corn,
can or grass, unless water is sup
piled for irrigation. ss*The extent
of territory which could be given to
the raising of goats, without in any.
way interfering. with agriculture, is.
very large. Vera Cruz has tens of
thousands of acres of land so steep.
and rugged that it~cannot be farmed
A profitably, but these rugged mountain
q sides furnish ideal feeding grounds
for goats. '""The value of the goat
I: depends upon three things, meat,
tallow and the skin, '''The matter
Of fresh meat in the farming dis
4 tricts of the hot country is greatly.
\ simplifed by the breeding of goats.
In small, isolated communities 1t is
risky to slaughter an OK or COW, as
the flesh is liable to spoil before it
is consumed. The small carcass of
a goat makes 1t entirely practicable
to kill frequently without risk or
less. In the state of Tobasco the
inhabitants are never at loss for
Il fresh meat on plantations where
goats are raised, and where formerly
meat was almost unknown.* tt The
flesh alone would make 1t a profitable
industry, for the carcass of each
4 animal will bring from 81 to $3.50.
n Fats of all kinds are high priced in
all parts of the country ,t""At two
years fat goat will yield six to ten
pounds of clear tallow, which will
be worth from 75c to $1.5O.'s" The.
most valuable part Of the goat is the
skin, worth SIPS to $3.50, and the
constant trend Of prices is upward
(These figures Of values are pre-
sumably in Merican currency, in
which the dollar is equivalent to
about half dollar in United States
currency
The consul adds that the increase
in the number of goats is very rapid,
since they begin breeding at from.
six to eight months OF age, and breed
twice year, bringing forth two and
not infrequently three kids at each
breeding season. A single shepherd
tits said will look after at least
1000 goats. He adds; "a careful in
vestment of $1,000 well looked after
can certainly be counted upon to
double itself inside Of two and one
half years, and to give at least a
fifty per cent profit per annum from
the end of the second year."