Evening star., 1939-12-10

the native home of the Karakul, in
1909, 1913 and 1914. Since then, di-
rect inportations have been pro-
hibited in order to prevent the in
PRODUCTION into the United States
of animal diseases prevalent in Asia.
To have the sheep sent to another
country and held for the required
length of time to make certain no
harmful disease is transmitted would
prove too expensive. But the de-
partment is hopeful of producing
results that will make the breed
ing and raising of fur-bearing sheep
in this country profitable.
The program of cross-breedlng
promises good results. The use OF
Blackface- Highland ewes, from orig
inal stock that came from Scot
land, and the Corriedales from New
Zealand, and purebred Karakul rams
is resulting in better and more val
liable grades of fur. Ewes produced
from crosses were bred back to pure
bred Karakul rams until 1888, when
several lambs from four-top crosses
were available for fur study.
"The entire lamb crop, including
crosses as well as purebreds. that
year was used in fur study by the
Bureau of Biological Survey de-
partment bulletin states. Both the
eve and ram lambs were pelted,
whereas in the past only the ram
lambs from the fourth-top cross
were used in the fur tests. Fur
specialists of the department. have
found that the lambs from the
fourth-top crosses grade compare
lively high in quality and are really
marketable through the regular fur
trade channels.
"On the basis of current quota
tions, the following values were
placed on the pelts:
Average price for Karakul-
Blackface Highland crosses: 10
pelts from second-top crosses, $3.03;
eight pelts from thifd-top cross,
1898; two pelts from fourth-top
cross, $562; one pelt from fifth-top
cross, $3.50.
Average price for Karakul Corrie-
dale crosses: Three pelts from first
cross, 72 cents; three pelts from Sec
ond-top cross, $3.47; nine pelts from
third-top cross, 1898: five pelts from
fourth-top cross, 1888.
Average price for 20 purebred
Karakul pelt, $4.26.
These prices were set on the raw
pelts by three disinterested furriers
on the New York fur market. The
figures show that pelts from the
second-top crosses and up compare
favorably with the purebred Kara
kul produced at the Beltsville Re-
search Center"
Have Endurance.
Karakul sheep are noted for their
hardness and ability to thrive under
adverse conditions. The mature an
imal develops a lustrous but coarse
wool used in the manufacture of
rugs, carpets, blankets and robes.
Almost any woman would like to
have a coat made from high-test
Karakul lambs fur. The younger
the lamb the more valuable the pelt.
OF the three classes of lambskins
utilized as furs, the broadtail is the
most useful, but the percentage Of
this type of skin produced is very
small. It Is usually taken from
lambs prematurely born, although
cases are reported of this type Of
fur being produced by lambs born at
full fetal development. The fur
from such lambs is a fiat, light
weight product with a waterwave
pattern which Is lustrous and beau-
tiful.
'The fact that practically all
lambs from which this most VAL
liable type of lamb fur is taken
would be total loss (since they are
still-borh) in the production of other
breeds Is one of the important ad-
vantages in producing the Karakul
breed" department official said.
"Broadtail skins are used almost en-.
tirely for making ladies coats"
Persian lamb" so popular nova
days, Is a type Of skin produced by
lambs Of the Karakul breed which
are from 3 to 10 days old.
"Caracul," the department ex-
plains, is q trade name given to
"a lustrous, open type Of fur which
shows q wavy or moire pattern and
is entirely free from close cufls."
(see LANES, Page C-6J