Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1916-02-25
LANDS RECLAIMED
BY ANGoRAS.
(By Mrs. w. B. Doak, Clifton
Station, Virginia.l

common, long-horned, black-whiSk-
cred Billy, certainly left the impress
sion-both mental and physical-that
goats were to be recloned with; so,
when the man o. the house announced
that he was expecting flock of fifty
seven angoras, painful memories of
girl hood were awakened, and it took
no very vivid imagination to picture
how my four offspring would either
flee before their onslaught-my "kid-
dest one" perhaps falling victim
to cruel horns as wicked whiskers
were shai-cn above his PROSTATE form.
Or, cgain, could sec the family, my
self includcd, as prisoners,
afraid to even venture out in the
yard because of the omnipresent horn
cd beasts. However, l wisely kept
my fears within my bosom, secretly
hoping though that they would cause
u self-destructivc wreck before reach
ing WOODBURY..
They arrived one afternoon, driven
mile from the village by half
dozen or more small urchins, all wild
ly delighted with the new animals.
One glimpse of the graceful, silky
coated little aristocrats, was enough;
there were no house prisoners here
With the "kiddest one" tagging along
behind, we were all soon looking, won
dering, and admiring. Fear vanished
as / gazed into their kind, intelli-
gent faces, noting the bright eyes,
alert ears, and inquisitve noses.
had never seen anything prcttier than
the long, silvery curls-in such con-
trast to the common animals l had
occasionally seen, and known as plain
goats. I was won over as their
champion then and there, and the
more l learn of their many good
qualities, the more enthusiastic be-
come.
Practically, l must tell you what
Angoras have done for WOODBURY..
To make it clear, perhaps, 'twould
be hest to explain that years ago the
farm had supported q large dairy
herd, being cropped" las they say
here), to the limit. Then for u long
time the place was used by city
family as summer home, and I'M
der their regime the fields, especially
at the back of the farm, grew up in
bushes and blackberry vines. re-
member one boundary particularly,
that it was almost impossible to get
through. IF two Cornell students
chance to see this, am sure they
will verify the truth. of this state
ment, recalling days outing and
blackberry picnic. How sweet and
fresh the girls looked when they
stepped off the train that morning,
but what contrast at noon when they
came in with buckets heaped with the
coveted fruit. / spent the afternoon
in darning rents in dainty muslin
frocks, while they continued their
thorny work, in farm womans more
suitable garb. Where berries could
once be picked by the gallons, one
can scarcely find pints now. Not
only have blackberry vines been clean
ed up, but small cedars along the lane
leading to this field have been killed
out, while the larger ones are trimm-
ed up just as high as the thorns can
reach TO pull the limbs off. Cedars
and pines constitute Il very large
part of their winter feed, especially
when smaller growths are covered
with snow. If this covering is not too
deep, they enjoy getting out after the
flakes have ceased falling, and it's
wonderful how they relish these ever
greens, preferring them to choice
hay fed in the barn. Only the last
snf W, which was too deep to permit
ranging, was surprised to see how
they even enjoyed the discarded
/ Christmas tree, which was somewhat
dried out, not sprig of green was
left when they got through with it
/ Can you get help, for love or money
to work out in the zero weather
Goats do draw the line, however, al
cold sleety rains or when the snow
flakes are falling. In such weather
a shelter should be provided. They
are smart enough "to come in out
of the rain" One can then see then
filing along one after the other K
the barn or shed.
We have had good deal of prac
cal experience in retaining and re
building up lands which have beer
neglected, or overworked by robbers
of the soil and know of no more
effective way of getting field ant
woodland cleared up than by turning
on flock of goats. And while you
are at it, why not use Angoras
AS the flock increases, they find read.
sale to those constantly realizing NOR,
op6 mara fboir xroIt,o xubi1a the ~, N