Evening star., 1939-12-10

Lie OcpdT TLlIlcIlL VI Agriculture
bred, at its research center at Belts!
vile, Md. A blue -blooded Karakul
in this country is worth approx
mately $500, but that kind is diff
cult to purchase, as importations
from native producing countries are
prohibited, and the domestic sup
ply is very limited. The Govern
ment, through two bureaus, is ex-
perimenting in cross-breeding to
see what sort of results can be had.
with current fashions populariz-
ing three types of fur, all coming
from the same source, the Karakul
sheep" an Agriculture Department
bulletin reports, "the United States,
through the Bureau of Animal In
dustry and the Biological Survey,
Is deeply interested In breeding ex-
periments which may mean that,
ultimately American farmers can
produce the fur for which the Amer
ican fur trade pays more than
$4,000, 900 q year."
The three types of fur referred to
are broadtail, Persian lamb and
oaracul. They are different in ap-
pearance and have q wide quality
range.
A survey by the Department of
Agriculture shows that American
producers Of Karakul sheep supply
less than one-half of / per cent of
the lamb skins used for the three
types of fur. A report made to
Frank A. Ashbrook of the Biological
Survey says there were $3.50 sheep
of this particular breed on Ameri-
can farms on January l, 1888. Last
year, the farmers sold 1,051 pelts. but
the importations totaled more than
250,0OO.
From Central Asia.
The principal supply of Karakuls
comes from Central Asia. Quaran-
tine regulations, which prohibit di-
rect importations from there. make
that process of building up herds
almost impossible, because of the
cost involved. For that reason, the
Government bureaus interested are
cooperating in q breeding program
to cross Karakul sheep with Black
face Highland and Corriedale breeds.
Thus far, experiments at Beltsville
and elsewhere show that peltS from
sheep with three-quarters Karakul
blood, or more, compare favorably
with those from purebreds. Only
purebred sires are used in this study.
Approximately 100 farms in "a
States have Karakul sheep. prin-
cipally from stock imported 20 years
ago. Eight farms reported more
than 80 head each, but a majority
of the others have fewer than 20.
California leads all other States,
with 1921 head; Texas ranks second,
with 1855, and Idaho third, with
797. The average price paid for
pelts sold in 1887 was about $3.50.
The first Karakuls were imported
by the Government in 1909; in 1928,
others were taken to Beltsville.
Those in charge of the experiments
at the Maryland farm think the
climate there is favorable for the
sheep.
c. G. Potts, animal husbandman
of the Bureau Of Animal Industry,
and v. L. Simmons, his assistant, in
a report on the Karakul sheep,
said:
"The Karakul breed is Of the fat
tail type, the tail being broad, fat,
and tapering rapidly toward the
end. The fat stored in the tail
enables the sheep to Withstand
long periods of scant feed. The head
is peculiarly characteristic Of the
breed, the face being black and
narrow, the skull much rounded,
with Roman nose and thin. black
pendulus ears. The wool is coarse
and long and varies in color from
black through various shades of
brown to light gray. Practically all
lambs are black at birth. and con-
tinue that color until they are year.
hngs, after which the wool be-
comes a lighter shade"
Few Purebreds.
Karakul sheep raising has not
been urged upon farmers generally.
The department says there are sew
eral reasons why they cannot pro-
duce enough for domestic demand,
the first being that oply small
number Of purebreds are to be had
in this country. The basis for the
stock here came from small impor.
tations from Bokhara, Central Asia,