Potosi journal. (Potosi, Mo.) 1894-1929, 1912-03-20
Angoras As Land Clearers.

Maurice HiShleN, st. Francois
county farmer, gives his experience
with angora goats as land ciearecs
in the FarminGtcn News. as follows;
Before | m:de my first investment
in goats. | asked some OF the best
farmers what they thought OF the
venture: and in most every instance
was advised to buy sheep, as the
returns from tie same would D"
ereater-lthey would kill about as
many weeds and sprouts as goats;
then they would stay where YOU Wan'
ed them. While with goats nothing
but the best OF wire fences would
hold them tthis is true also OF some
sheep, cattle and horsGs'.
"As some OF my neighbors had to
go out OF the sheep business On ac-
count of the dogs, | decided to try
the goats | had ii pasture enclosed
on three sides with woven wire
fence, the other side a crooked rall
fence, which | could replace VIII
wire in i day il necessary, ana Il
they proved iaiiuIc, could KEEP
mem ir one place until | coud g,
rid OF them.
.rrhis piece OF land had been useo
as a pasture for the past seven u
eiobt wears. ana Inc smooth part ol
if had been cut over With d mower
once or twice each year, trying Il
keen down the iron and milk "eehS
which were very thick; the rest han
grown up in honey OF thofhE locust
from two to six inches in diame(ef'
redt,uts. elms, buck brush and wset.a
until it almost took search NaF-
rant to find "a COW in it.
! THE first goats We're bought early
| in May, 1910, and turned mo tn"
| pasture. The locust ana All the i"i5-
brush were cut off about three oi
| ,uI feet above The ground, 50 That
| they would sprout cut from the7t
stumps. These sprouts tie goats
kept picked Off. After watching 'at
| tasuIs few weeks, | MAS III tHt
| market for more goats.
They were kept on TINS past III t
until frost. and the next spring t'1
narc on hand to start with the vega
tation. Fully thrce-loutthS 81 'i'
hr,,sh that was shrubDed never put
ont a sl,rout II i.'ll. 50 Is tAcf@ ~
| not much brush to Wolk Oh lit 5o'''
went after the iron weeds. Ata>
| etr,iyoled along untii about tn" h'i<.-
| die OF the summer. then dl'pai@4i'iS
died Some of the buck brush are
still alive. but in the TWO years never
have put out q seed. expect 10 5e'
the last one OF them this next SUM
mer, This pasture noV is practici'iiE
clean. even a rabbit can haruly lHtl
a place to hide, and the one side atI
! has the old. crooked rail fence.
| From financial standpoint the!
have proven d success III buNlnS
always took the whole tlock, "ethtfs
| culls and all And the first year
increase with the mohair covered N!
original investments.
"At one time or another nave
had them in every tieid on the fafh
and have never naG theitf 90 Where
did not put them, unless thcE ioun'
Ia hole under the fence. Woven wire
lfances should have stays Twelve lnch
es apart-vith siN-inch stays they pu
their heads through and can't se
loose.
..To Get good results they nH@
Iho,a reoular attention. They shoul'
have salt regular once Il week. AM
in winter have a shed that they nave
free access to. as cold rains and slee
are very hard Oh them. Fodder ah'
straw with a little grain once dal
makes a very good ration, but SIG"
oats. clover or pea hay is better
IN conclusion, will say, - II
EoN much can ic expected III III
iway OF profits cannot "e &hs"ran II
. iigulCs. Their flesh is better thai
nation. their skins, when tanHed
make beautiful rugs, he nto.lair i