Evening journal., 1914-06-06

prepared by the United States Depart
ment Of Agriculture.)
The raising of Angora goats In the
United States is now a demonstrated
success. The industry is indeed so
we'll established here that growers
need not be inconvenience by the ae-
ton Of South Africa in prohibiting
the expectation of Angoras. for the
quantity of good blood in this country
Is already sufficient to meet all re-
quirements In the opinion Of experts
the best American feeces now equal
any grown in South Africa or Asia
Minor, the original home of the An
CORA.
Although nearly every state in the
Union now possesses its flocks. the
Southwest and the Northwest are es-
pecially well adapted to the indus
try, in particular the large areas re-
Gently logged of in the Northwest.
There the Angora not only thrives
himself but helps to clear away the
brush which II allowed to grow I'M
checked, might easily become a dan
gerous fire trap. Thus it is often said
that the Angora works and pays for
its board at the same time.
II is paying more and more, for the
value of the fleece or mohair is in
creasing steadily. Formerly the use
Of mohair depended SO largely upon
the prevailing fashion that its price
varied widely from year to year. This
condition, however is rapidly chang
ing as new uses for mohair are CON
tinually found. from automobile tops
and table covers to dress goods and
euried false hair. and today the grow
or is assured Of a reasonably steady
market The price. of course, varies
with the quality, the very best feeces
bringing on an average from forty-two
TO ffty-five cents a pound. The
weight of a fleece has a very wide
range but in 1909 the average for Ore
gon was found to be 81 pounds and
for Texas 1.S5. On account Of the
greater heat, however, and the dam
age Of shedding, Angoras in the
southwest are frequently shorn twice
q year-a fact which must be taken
into consideration in all calculations
This practise of clipping twice a
year is In many ways a drawback to
the industry since it tends to lower
the average grade of American mo.
hair. Mohair, as good as any, can be
and is grown in this country, but the
average quality is not today consid-
cred to be as good as the foreign.
About two million pounds are annual
ly imported. Ordinarily this is blend
ed and spun with the domestic prod.
uct. Six inches is the shortest length
of fleece usually desired and, because
OF shearing twice year, much Texas
and New Mexico mohair falls below
this standard. Where the fleece is al.
lowed to grow for ~ months, the aver
age length is ten inches and in the
best fiocks 1t Is not unusual to get fif-
teen to twenty inches Romeo. the
sweepstakes buck at the Ell Paso show
in 1910, is an example Of what is
possible. His fleece weighed Is
pounds, measured 20% inches in
length end sold for $115 Such fleece
is not, Of course, the product OF or
binary commercial conditions. It i'm
plies a considerable amount OF care
and personal attention.
The birth rate is approximately SIS
per cent but in well managed flocks
this has risen on occasions as high
as 120 per cent. Since the kids are
not hardy, it is obvious that this
means skill and industry during the
breeding season. The management Of
Angoras does not differ greatly from
that Of sheep.
While the Angora goat needs atten, F,
ton It is adaptable, and as far as tenn
perature is concerned, should flourish
In any part of the United States. In /
Montana the fiocks face the heavy
snowfalls with equanimity as long as
q dry place is provided for them at /
night and though the heat in the
southwest frequently makes it neces- !
sary to shear twice a year in order
to prevent shedding, it does not 9TH
erwise affect the health of the fiocks. /
Dampness, however, is more Injurious
than either cold or heat. High land is
the native home of all goats, and they
invariably seek 1t when left to them. /
selves. Pure water is also an essen.
tial
Otherwise the Ango-a is not particu.
lar. It VIII feed with cattle and sheep.
and, though in some danger of being
kicked, with horses also. AS a matter
OF fact, however, the goat prefers a
certain amount Of rough pasture and
Is particularly happy when cleaning
up brush land. There is one instance
OF a fock OF 900 being allowed free
grazing in a California forest reserve
IN order to keep the strips of cleared
land. known as fire breaks, free from
weeds and vegetation. Settlers in
the Northwest find the Angora most
serv1eeable In browsing on the brush