,illustration3 ,c4 ,p4 ,,bailey1 ,one of the founders of the ,angora ,goat ,industry in ,america4 ,practical ,angora ,goat ,raising ,c4 ,p4 ,,bailey ,,sons ,,company ,,san ,,jose1 ,,california #aije4 ,,preface4 ,for several years beginners in the ,angora goat industry were without text books1 and even to-day there are very few practical treatises4 ,from our forty years of experience in farming ,angoras1 and from the personal observations of our ,dr4 ,w4 ,c4 ,bailey1 while in the interior of ,asia ,minor1 we have tried to select the essential points in the successful management of ,angora flocks1 and to present these points so that they may be used4 ,we have given a brief outline of the history of the ,angora goat1 but we have devoted several pages to consideration of detail in breeding and kidding4 ,it has been our aim to make this a practical text book for the beginner in the ,angora industry1 and if it proves of value to him1 it has fulfilled its mission4 ,the ,authors4 ,,origin ,,and ,,history ,,of ,,the ,,angora ,,goat4 ,as to the origin and early history of the ,angora goat little is known4 ,it is supposed that the ,angora variety descended from one of the classes of wild goats1 and different writers have contended that different genera were the foundation of the ,angora species4 ,they have based these claims upon the characteristics of the horns1 the covering of the body1 shape and size of the animal1 and various other details4 ,several agree that ,capra ,a,egagrus is the class of goat from which the ,angora species has developed4 ,,known ,,facts4 ,present history traces the ,angora goat to the vilayet of ,angora1 in ,asia ,minor1 and to the country immediately surrounding this vilayet4 ,some have set a date over two thousand years ago1 claiming that the ,angora goat was introduced into ,asia ,minor at that time1 but the only authentic history is that given by ,tournefort1 a ,french naturalist1 employed by his government1 who explored ,asia ,minor about two hundred and fifty years ago1 and who described and pictured the ,angora goat about as he appears to-day and by ,evliya ,effendi1 a ,turk1 who wrote in #aeej of the goats1 and by a few other writers4 ,that they have not changed more is due to the fact that the ,turk is quite content as he is1 and he has no ambition to breed a different goat from what he has had for at least the past three centuries4 ,,asia ,,minor4 ,before we consider the migrations of the ,angora goat1 we will investigate the physical conditions of their native province4 ,the interior of ,asia ,minor1 or the ,angora goat country1 is from one to four thousand feet above the sea level4 ,low1 rolling hills and broad plains1 treeless and almost waterless2 dry1 hot and desolate in the summer1 and covered with more or less snow in the winter1 form the habitat of the ,angora4 ,a small fine fibered sage brush is the principal diet of the goat1 both summer and winter1 but in the spring this diet is supplemented with weeds and some grass1 and in the summer some of the goats are driven to the higher mountains1 where there are some scrub pines and other varieties of brush4 ,there is no winter feeding4 ,the goats make their own living on the tops of the sage brush1 which protrude through the snow4 ,the indolent ,turks do make some provision for the shelter of themselves and the goats in the winter4 ,if a cave can be found it is divided so that the goats share the quarters with the humans4 ,sometimes an adobe house is so arranged that the goats and other livestock occupy the lower part of the house and the natives the upper part1 or if there be but one floor1 a low fence is run across to keep the livestock out of the living quarters4 ,great greyish-white wolfish looking dogs1 wearing formidable collars of sharpened spikes go with the shepherds during the day and watch the flocks during the night4 ,they are used as a means of protection from thieves1 and not as an aid in herding4 ,the flocks camp around the cave or hut1 and are not confined in corrals4 ,fences are almost unknown in the ,angora country4 ,there are probably four or five million ,angora goats in ,asia ,minor4 ,much of the central plateau region of the ,united ,states is very similar to the ,angora region of ,turkey4 ,a peculiar fact is that the mohair produced in the different sections of ,asia ,minor varies a little1 and the mohair merchants of ,constantinople readily recognize an appreciable difference in its market value4 ,even the smaller merchants in the country recognize a difference in the mohair grown within a few miles of their town4 ,some try to explain this by a difference in food1 others by slight climatic changes1 and still others by the soil formation4 ,some of the goats from the locality of ,geredeh1 in the province of ,kastamouni1 have fleeces which are filled with grease4 ,they are as black and gummy as merino sheep4 ,this mohair1 however1 scours white4 ,the most marketable mohair comes from ,beibazar and ,eskischehr4 ,that this difference in the quality of the mohair is not entirely due to climate or food conditions is evidenced by the fact that ,angoras taken from ,beibazar to ,california still retain the same qualities in the mohair after four years in ,california4 ,however1 it has been noticed that different parts of the ,united ,states produce different qualities of mohair4 ,illustration3 ,,scene ,,in ,,asia-,,minor4 ,turkish owner1 his herder1 holding an ,angora buck kid and the grey-wolfish-looking dogs wearing collars of sharpened spikes4 ,this picture was taken on the range and one can see the fine fibered sage brush on which the goats feed4 ,photo taken by ,dr4 ,bailey1 #aija4 ,,angora ,,goats ,,in ,,the ,,united ,,states4 ,the history of the ,angora goat in the ,united ,states dates from #ahdi1 when ,dr4 ,james ,b4 ,davis1 of ,columbia1 ,south ,carolina1 was presented with nine choice animals by the ,sultan4 ,the ,sultan had requested ,president ,polk to send a man to ,turkey who understood the culture of cotton4 ,dr4 ,davis was appointed1 and upon his return to ,america the ,sultan1 as a courtesy1 presented him with the goats4 ,for many years after their arrival in the ,united ,states these goats were considered cashmeres4 ,early reports about the fleeces and the goats were erroneous1 and many were led to believe that the fleeces from these goats were worth #h per pound1 and that the goats would shear from six to eight pounds per year4 ,dr4 ,davis did not do very well with the goats4 ,he crossed his ,angora buck onto some of the native common goats1 and sold some of the cross-bloods and possibly some of the original importation to various parties1 but in #ahed1 ,col4 ,richard ,peters1 of ,atlanta1 ,georgia1 secured most of the ,davis goats4 ,to ,col4 ,peters really belongs the credit of keeping the ,angora breed in existence in the ,united ,states up to the early sixties4 ,col4 ,peters was very fond of his ,angoras1 and he continued to own and run them up to the time of his death4 ,he made a very creditable exhibit at the ,new ,orleans ,world's ,fair in #ahhe4 ,,the ,,chenery ,,importations4 ,w4 ,w4 ,chenery of ,belmont1 near ,boston1 ,massachusetts1 is supposed to have made the next two importations in #ahfa4 ,no one seems to know exactly how many goats ,mr4 ,chenery imported or what became of these lots4 ,mr4 ,thompson quotes the ,massachusetts ,ploughman as saying1 ,the first of the two lots1 consisting of thirty nine animals1 was shipped from ,constantinople on the #bfth of ,march1 #ahfa1 and arrived at ,boston on the #aeth of ,may1 except two animals which died on the passage4 ,the second lot consisting of forty one head1 left ,constantinople on the #fth of ,october1 #ahfa1 and arrived at ,boston on the #beth of ,november with the loss of only one on the voyage4 ,in the whole flock1 eighty in all1 there were about a dozen males1 and all the animals wintered well4 ,it is generally supposed that ,mr4 ,chenery made another importation in #ahff1 of about twenty head4 ,illustration3 ,,angora ,,goat4 ,brown and ,diehl ,importation1 about #ahfh or #ahfi4 ,,the ,,brown ,,and ,,diehl ,,importation4 ,the next importation of practical importance1 although it was claimed that nine head were received about #ahfa1 by one ,stiles1 was made by ,israel ,s4 ,diehl1 a former ,u4,s4 consul and ,c4 ,s4 ,brown1 of ,newark1 ,new ,jersey1 about #ahfh4 ,mr4 ,diehl was commissioned by the ,united ,states government to investigate the industry in ,turkey1 and he secured a lot of ,angoras1 variously estimated at from one hundred to one hundred and sixty head4 ,mr4 ,c4 ,p4 ,bailey furnished the money for the transportation of these goats to ,california4 ,he says1 ,some were fairly good and some were only ordinary4 ,they were of medium size1 and with the exception of the neck1 tolerably well covered with fleece1 which however had a scattering of kemp throughout4 ,they were conceded to be the best brought to ,california up to that time4 ,some of these bucks had been tampered with and were sterile4 ,,eutichides ,,importation4 ,this shipment followed the ,brown and ,diehl importation1 and consisted of between one hundred and fifty and two hundred animals4 ,a4 ,eutichides1 was a native of ,turkey1 and claimed that he had some fine goats1 but he had an immense amount of trouble with his ,angoras1 and lost a good many4 ,they were held in ,virginia for some time1 and then were sent to ,sacramento1 ,california1 and were afterwards sold by the express company1 at public auction1 at very low prices4 ,this was about #ahgc4 ,it was generally believed by old ,california breeders that some of the goats offered at this sale were cross-bloods of ,california origin4 ,the blood of this importation1 however1 has been widely scattered over the ,pacific ,coast4 ,,the ,,hall ,,and ,,harris ,,importation4 ,in #ahgf1 ,john ,s4 ,harris1 of ,hollister1 ,california1 returned from a perilous journey around the world in quest of new ,angoras4 ,he found the ,thibet goats in the ,himalaya ,mountains1 and finally succeeded in getting some goats at ,angora1 in ,asia ,minor4 ,he secured two bucks and ten does1 and brought them safely to ,california4 ,that was really the first time an ,american had entered ,asia ,minor to study the ,angora industry1 as it was understood ,mr4 ,diehl had secured ,turks to go into the interior for him4 ,,the ,,jenks ,,importation4 ,this was a small importation of ,angoras1 supposed to have been three animals1 made by ,c4 ,w4 ,jenks of ,boston1 and sold to ,col4 ,peters of ,georgia4 ,they were supposed to have come from ,geredeh1 in the interior of ,asia ,minor1 and they arrived in the ,united ,states in #ahhj4 ,the mohair from these goats was not considered very good1 and the importation was not regarded as very important4 ,,the ,,shults ,,importation4 ,this was the first importation made from ,south ,africa to the ,united ,states and arrived in #ahhf4 ,there were two bucks and two does1 and they went to ,fink ,company1 of ,texas4 ,there was a great deal of question about this importation1 and so far as is known it was of no value to ,american flocks4 ,,the ,c4 ,p4 ,,bailey ,,sons ,,co4 ,,importations4 ,in #ahic1 the first importation of ,angora goats from ,south ,africa1 which was of value to ,american flocks1 arrived4 ,the two bucks1 ,pasha and ,dick1 which were secured by ,c4 ,p4 ,bailey from ,r4 ,cawood1 were sired by the great buck ,sam4 ,mr4 ,schreiner says1 ,sam was born in #ahhh1 and sheared as a three year old1 at twelve month growth1 #ae pounds #b ounces4 ,he was exhibited for many years at all chief ,agricultural shows and was never beaten but once1 a judgment reversed at a subsequent show in the same year4 ,sam was the most famous goat in ,south ,africa2 with splendid weight of fleece1 he combined a fineness of fiber rarely seen in an old ram4 ,pasha developed into a great sire and his get has been distributed into nearly every ,state in the ,union1 ,canada1 ,mexico and ,australia4 ,without doubt ,pasha's blood courses through the veins of more ,angoras than any sire ever imported4 ,he was acknowledged by every one to be the best individual ever brought to ,america4 ,mr4 ,landrum1 who had seen most of the ,angoras brought from ,turkey and who saw ,pasha at ,san ,jose1 ,california1 in #ahii1 pronounced him the most perfect goat he had ever seen and a much better goat than any which had ever come to ,america from ,turkey4 ,he bought some of ,pasha's get for his own flock4 ,illustration3 ,,angora ,,buck ,,pasha4 ,bailey ,south ,africa ,importation #ahic4 ,in #ahii1 the buck ,capetown was imported by ,mr4 ,bailey from ,south ,africa to secure certain points4 ,size and a little yolk1 together with the covering1 fineness1 freeness from kemp1 ringlets and evenness were especially desired4 ,capetown has been a great sire and is still in fine condition on the ,bailey farms4 ,,the ,,asia ,,minor ,,goats4 ,in #aija1 ,dr4 ,w4 ,c4 ,bailey1 armed with an honorary commission from the ,united ,states ,department of ,agriculture1 personally visited every goat-raising section of ,asia ,minor1 and after seeing hundreds of thousands1 and examining minutely hundreds1 secured and succeeded in exporting two bucks and two does4 ,the ,sultan had passed an edict in #ahha1 prohibiting the export of these animals1 as he hoped to keep the industry for ,asia ,minor4 ,the undertaking was a hazardous one1 and the expedition was fought with many and almost insurmountable difficulties4 ,asia ,minor is alive with bandits1 and to hold a foreigner for ransom is a favorite pastime4 ,then1 too1 a ,christian's life is not considered of much value by a ,mohamedan4 ,the goats were transported for miles on mule and camel back1 carried across the ,bosphorus under a boat load of hay1 disfigured by shearing and powdered with coal dust1 transported through the streets of ,constantinople in closed carriages protected from police molestation by the golden wand1 and finally condemned by the ,italian ,government because no health certificate accompanied them from point of shipment1 but eventually landed in ,california in #aija4 ,the bucks ,beibazar and ,kjutiah1 and the does ,moholitch and ,eskischehr find the climate of ,california suited to their wants4 ,these four goats cost over #e1jjj landed in ,california4 ,illustration3 ,,buck ,,beibazar ,,and ,,doe ,,moholitch4 ,bailey ,asia ,minor ,importation #aija4 ,photo taken by ,dr4 ,bailey on the plains of ,asia ,minor1 ,march #g1 #aija1 while the goats were held by a ,turkish guide4 ,beibazar impresses his qualities markedly on his offspring4 ,his get won the ,sweepstake prizes at the ,california and ,oregon ,state ,fairs in #aijd1 and the championship for two-year-old buck at the ,world's ,fair at ,st4 ,louis1 ,u4 ,s4 ,a41 in #aijd4 ,,the ,,landrum ,,importation4 ,in #aija1 ,wm4 ,m4 ,landrum imported two bucks from ,south ,africa4 ,their get has been quite widely distributed in ,america1 and has been of considerable value4 ,,the ,,hoerle ,,importation4 ,in #aijd1 ,g4 ,a4 ,hoerle imported about one hundred and thirty head from ,south ,africa4 ,a few of these goats were exhibited at the ,st4 ,louis ,world's ,fair1 and some of them have been distributed to ,american breeders4 ,a large part of them are now in ,new ,jersey1 and just what their effect will be on ,american flocks remains to be seen4 ,illustration3 ,,beibazar4 ,bailey ,asia ,minor ,importation1 #aija4 ,,angora ,,goats ,,in ,,south ,,africa4 ,in #ahch1 ,col4 ,henderson made the first importation of ,angora goats into ,south ,africa1 but while the number reaching the ,cape was fourteen1 yet only two proved to be perfect animals1 a doe and her kid4 ,the twelve bucks seem to have been tampered with1 and they would not breed4 ,mr4 ,schreiner says3 ,but for the fact that there were several million ,boar goats1 thoroughly accustomed to the country1 to furnish innumerable ewes for grading up purposes1 the industry would still have been in its infancy4 ,it was years before any more ,angoras were imported into ,south ,africa4 ,the second importation into ,cape ,colony was made by ,messrs4 ,mosenthal in #ahef1 and thirty ,angoras reached their destination4 ,mr4 ,schreiner reports that some of these goats were sold at public auction and brought about #cej to #djj each4 ,the third importation was made by ,sir ,titus ,salt1 the ,english manufacturer of mohair1 and arrived in ,south ,africa in #aheg4 ,dr4 ,white had charge of these after they reached the colony4 ,illustration3 ,,capetown4 ,bailey ,south ,african ,importation1 #ahii4 ,the fourth importation consisted of about thirty-five animals1 and was made about #aheh by ,mr4 ,w4 ,r4 ,thompson4 ,these were considered very fine animals1 and were quite different from any previously imported4 ,ten years later in #ahfh1 another importation was made by ,south ,africa and from then on to #ahhj between twelve and fifteen more lots were secured1 some of them consisting of hundreds of animals4 ,in the twelve years1 up to #ahhj1 over three thousand goats were received in ,south ,africa from ,asia ,minor4 ,some of them brought as high as #b1bjj each4 ,during the next fourteen years there was a lack of importations into the ,colony4 ,in #ahid1 the first lot of ,american ,angora goats1 six head1 were secured from ,c4 ,p4 ,bailey of ,san ,jose1 ,california4 ,they were sold to the ,cape farmers by the importers at satisfactory prices1 and in ,june1 #ahie1 another lot of twenty bucks were secured from ,mr4 ,bailey for #ajjj cash4 ,these bucks had a hard trip1 and shed their fleece1 but they were sold by the importer later4 ,in #ahie1 another importation of one hundred and sixty-five head were secured by consent of the ,sultan from ,asia ,minor4 ,in #ahif another importation of sixty-three head were landed and sold to the ,cape farmers4 ,the highest priced buck of this lot brought about #a1hej1 and the highest priced doe about #a1jjj4 ,these goats were not considered extra1 with the exception of a few of the tops4 ,they were not uniform1 the breeches were bad1 bellies deficiently covered1 and they carried considerable kemp4 ,,angoras ,,in ,,other ,,countries4 ,even before the arrival of ,angora goats in ,south ,africa they had been tried in ,holland1 ,france and ,england4 ,australia also imported some in #ahef1 but the industry has not grown to any extent in any of these countries4 ,there have been some ,angoras exported to ,australia from ,america since #aijj4 ,canada1 ,mexico1 ,alaska1 and some of the ,pacific ,islands1 have small flocks of ,angora goats at the present time4 ,the start has been obtained largely from ,california4 ,illustration ,,mohair4 ,that part of the fleece of the ,angora goat1 which at a year's growth is composed of long1 lustrous1 elastic fibers1 is called ,mohair4 ,it may be more or less curled1 but it is readily distinguishable from that part of the fleece of the ,angora which is composed of short1 stiff fibers1 known as kemp4 ,the word mohair probably has its origin in modern times1 as the ,turkish word for mohair is tiftick4 ,a theory which is advanced by ,mr4 ,george ,gatheral of ,constantinople1 and which is tenable1 is that the early ,dutch traders who visited ,angora1 found the native clergy wearing a gown made of mohair4 ,the ,turks called the cloth mahr1 and it is possible that the traders applied this word to the raw material4 ,if this be so1 the ,english have corrupted the word into the present term mohair4 ,the color of mohair varies in different localities and on different individuals4 ,in the vilayet of ,koniah1 in ,asia ,minor1 is a breed of goats producing a brownish colored mohair4 ,this material is sold upon the market as ,koniah mohair4 ,the ,koniah goat1 however1 has been rapidly disappearing1 as the herdsmen found that the foreign demand was for white mohair1 and they have been crossing the white ,angora bucks on the brown ,koniah does4 ,there are still over one hundred thousand pounds of ,koniah mohair produced each year4 ,in the ,angora flocks of ,asia ,minor one always finds some colored goats4 ,black1 blue1 brown or red1 usually with an admixture of white1 are the common colors4 ,the same thing may be said of the ,american flocks of ,angoras4 ,one may have been breeding white ,angoras for years when1 without apparent cause1 a colored kid is dropped4 ,then color of the soil may give the mohair a peculiar tinge1 but this usually scours out4 ,the kemp in ,asia ,minor is sometimes a different color from the mohair4 ,the kemp may be red or black and the mohair white4 ,white mohair is what the manufacturer wants4 ,if he wishes to make colored goods1 he can dye white whatever color he wishes1 but a colored mohair can only be used for certain colored goods4 ,,grades ,,and ,,grading ,,of ,,mohair4 ,in ,turkey1 after the fleece is shorn1 the owner packs each fleece separately in sacks4 ,he picks out the tag locks1 colored fleeces or objectionable mohair1 and after washing it1 or making it more fit for market1 he packs this in a sack by itself4 ,every village has its buyers1 usually ,greeks or ,armenians1 and there are a few traveling buyers4 ,these men gradually collect the mohair4 ,men who have more money than they need put that money into mohair1 as mohair is always salable1 and it is so bulky that there is not much danger of it being stolen4 ,there are so many robbers in ,turkey that nothing is absolutely safe4 ,one coffee house keeper in a small village sent about six dollars down to a larger place1 as he was afraid to keep so much money in his house4 ,when the mohair is collected in the larger towns it is again sorted1 care being taken not to mix lots from different sections of the country4 ,it is then forwarded to ,constantinople of ,ismidt1 which is on the ,sea of ,marmara1 near ,constantinople4 ,here expert sorters go over the lots again4 ,they do not break up the fleece1 but they collect fleeces which are about the same and from the same district--for instance1 ,beibazar1 ,kjutiah1 ,kastamonia1 ,eskischehr1 etc4 ,these fleeces are then packed in bags and marked x - xx- xxx1 or lettered a1 b1 ,,aa1 or numbered #a1 #b1 #c1 etc4 ,the mohair is then ready for exportation4 ,it can be readily seen that a manufacturer who wants a particular kind of mohair can get exactly what he wants1 if he knows the kind of mohair which comes from the different districts1 and the grade of mohair which is put up under a certain mark by a certain firm4 ,he can order of ,mr4 ,b4 one hundred bags ,,xx ,beibazar mohair1 and he knows what he is going to find when he opens the bags4 ,there is a large room in ,constantinople where a gang of men are almost constantly at work sorting mohair4 ,the commission men have their store rooms around this central room2 when the sorters finish with ,mr4 ,a's lot they commence to sort for ,mr4 ,b4 ,thus the same men sort all the mohair1 and this insures a uniformity of grade4 ,in ,america the plan of handling is somewhat different4 ,it will be easier to tell what should be done than what is done4 ,until each grower becomes something of an expert sorter1 or until we have central depots1 where the mohair can be properly graded1 the grower should roll the fleeces separately2 they should not be tied1 and put them in a bag or bale4 ,he should pick out the tag locks1 mohair discolored or clotted with urine or faeces1 the colored fleeces1 burry mohair or very kempy fleeces1 and after preparation1 put them in a separate parcel4 ,any kind of a bur or seed which sticks in the mohair must be picked out by hand4 ,if the manufacturer has to do this1 he puts a price on the mohair which will leave him plenty of margin4 ,that is1 he pays the grower about one-half as much as the mohair would be worth if it were free from this foreign material4 ,if the mohair is very burry1 it has to be treated chemically1 and this spoils the luster4 ,sometimes the grower can make good wages by having the burs picked out before the animals are shorn4 ,one man can pick the burs out of from fifteen to twenty-five animals a day1 if there are not too many burs in the mohair4 ,if the tag locks can be cleaned sufficiently by washing1 they are of some value2 but if not1 they are hardly worth the expense of shipping4 ,the mohair shorn from kids should be kept in parcels by itself1 as it is usually finer and worth top prices4 ,that of the does1 if it differs from that of the wethers1 should be packed separately4 ,when the mohair is received by the mill it is sent to the sorting room4 ,,sorting ,,by ,,the ,,manufacturer4 ,each goat's fleece is made up of a variety of different grades of mohair4 ,before a fleece can be spun it must be separated into these different grades as nearly as possible1 and this is done by expert sorters1 who select from the raw material about seven different degrees of fineness of fiber4 ,they also take into consideration freeness from kemp and color4 ,in separating the fleece much dust is liberated1 and as some mohair is liable to carry the bacillus of anthrax1 or other dangerous material1 this dust1 if allowed to circulate in the air1 would become a serious menace to the health of the sorters4 ,wool sorters' disease is by no means uncommon1 and one of the ,american mill owners reported that his sorters had such a dread of a foreign mohair which came packed in a distinctive package1 that he had to stop handling this particular lot1 although it was profitable stuff to spin4 ,illustration3 ,,mohair ,,transportation ,,in ,,constantinople1 ,,turkey4 ,photo taken by ,dr4 ,bailey4 ,to obviate this danger as far as possible each man opens the fleeces on a table covered with wire screen1 under which circulates a strong exhaust current of air which is mechanically generated4 ,thus small foreign particles and dust in the fleeces are drawn downward4 ,when the fleece is opened the sorter selects that part of the fleece which is known to be the coarsest1 i4 e41 the breech and a strip along the center of the back1 and puts this in one lot4 ,next he selects a narrow strip along the side of the fleece1 which is known to be the finest part of the fleece1 and puts this in another lot4 ,now the neck and the belly are separated and thrown into their classes4 ,if the whole fleece were a fine one1 and free from kemp1 it would be sorted in the same way1 but different parts of the fleece would go into proportionately higher classes4 ,the lots which these sorters make are known to spin comparatively definite qualities of yarn4 ,thus the low breech and the back of most fleeces will not spin over ,no4 #bj to ,no4 #bd yarns1 and the sides of good fleeces are fine in fiber and will spin ,no4 #dj to ,no4 #fj yarn4 ,the quantity of mohair which one man can sort varies considerably1 according to the class of mohair which he is given to work upon4 ,one mill estimated that experts can sort between two and three hundred pounds of domestic mohair a day1 and that it costs about a cent a pound to thus separate the fleece4 ,after the fleeces are graded1 the mohair is ready to be sent to the mill proper for scouring and spinning4 ,,scouring4 ,to-day the process of washing or scouring the fleece is done by machinery4 ,the mohair is fed into a machine in which revolve paddles1 which thoroughly mix the fiber with the liquid in this machine4 ,at the opposite end from where it was fed in1 the mohair is rolled out over warm rollers1 and it is ready to be spun4 ,it is claimed1 and with some justice1 that ,american mohair loses or shrinks about #ab to #bj while passing through this washing machine1 and that ,turkish mohair only shrinks about #ac4 ,this may be due to the fact that some of the ,turkish hair had been washed before it was shipped to market1 and that by previous sorting some of the dirt had fallen out of the mohair4 ,then1 too1 some of the ,american growers are not very careful to keep the fleeces clean4 ,straw1 sticks1 hats1 and even stones have been found in some domestic stuff4 ,,mixing4 ,after the mohair is thoroughly cleaned it is ready for spinning or carding4 ,in order to spin the fibers most economically1 evenly and to the best advantage1 some of the mills mix different qualities of mohair of about the same fineness4 ,for instance1 ,turkish mohair is mixed with ,texas and ,california stuff1 or ,oregon is mixed with ,iowa material4 ,the spinning qualities of mohair from different sections varies1 and this mixing tends to give uniformity4 ,after the fibers have been mixed to suit1 the mohair is run through straightening machines in preparation for the combing process4 ,,first ,,or ,,noble ,,comb4 ,this comb is so arranged that about two and a half inches of the base of all of the mohair fibers1 and any other fibers which may be mixed with them1 are held1 the ends of the fibers which are longer than two and a half inches1 hang freely and are caught in a revolving machine and dragged loose from the combs which hold the base of the fiber4 ,thus only those fibers two and a half inches long1 or less1 are left in the first comb4 ,the longer fibers1 or tops as they are now called1 to distinguish them from the noil1 or short fibers1 are collected and are again passed through a second comb4 ,,second ,,or ,,lister ,,comb4 ,much the same process as was gone through with in the ,noble comb1 is repeated1 except that now only the ,noble top is combed1 and as all of the fibers1 less than two and a half inches1 have been removed from this mohair1 the comb is set so that any fibers shorter than four or five inches1 shall be held as noil1 and only those fibers which are longer than four or five inches shall be included in the top4 ,this combing completed1 we have a collection of mohair fibers none of them less than about five inches in length4 ,this top is now ready to spin4 ,this combing is rendered necessary by the fact that all of the mohair contains an admixture of kemp1 and kemp cannot be spun with the finer grades of mohair4 ,in getting this kemp out of the mohair many of the short mohair fibers are lost1 so that combing is an expensive process4 ,it costs in time1 labor and mohair4 ,,spinning4 ,many strands of this ,lister top are now drawn down into a single thread4 ,this thread1 if the fibers comprising it are coarse1 may have some projecting ends1 which give it a rough1 uneven appearance1 and if so1 these ends are burned off4 ,the thread is passed through a gas flame at a given rate of speed by machinery1 and the projecting ends are singed4 ,this is called genapping4 ,the yarn is now ready for manufacturing4 ,in ,bradford1 ,england1 there are mills which only spin the yarn4 ,their trade is with the manufacturers1 both at home and abroad1 and it is a known fact that1 while ,france and ,germany manufacture much plush and braid1 they buy all of their yarn from ,bradford4 ,,carding4 ,short mohair1 that is1 mohair less than six inches long1 is not run through combs1 as above described4 ,it is run over a carding wheel1 or a large metal cylinder covered with small brads1 which mix all the mohair and kemp4 ,after passing over a number of these wheels1 which revolve in different directions1 the material thus carded is ready to spin4 ,,noil4 ,some of the noil collected by the combing process is composed of a large percentage of short mohair4 ,this noil has a considerable value and is sometimes carded4 ,the lower grade noil is sold to carpet manufacturers and various users of low grade stuff4 ,noil usually brings from twelve to twenty cents a pound4 ,,uses ,,of ,,mohair4 ,as yet mohair has been used for only a limited number of things4 ,its possibilities have not been developed4 ,new uses for the fiber are being discovered1 and it seems probable that there will be many things made of mohair in the future4 ,the yarn has a beautiful luster and is very durable4 ,when ladies' lustre goods are in fashion a large amount of mohair goes into these fabrics4 ,much mohair is used in dress goods and men's goods4 ,there is a steady demand for mohair plushes and braids4 ,there is no plush made which will give the service1 present the luster and retain a standing pile as long as mohair4 ,one may crush the nap of a mohair plush as often or as long as he pleases1 but the pile immediately resumes its upright position upon being released4 ,then1 too1 the dust shakes out of a mohair plush very easily4 ,one rarely sees a dusty railroad car seat1 although the country through which the car is passing may be very dusty4 ,the rich effect produced by a heavily upholstered palace car is due to the mohair plush4 ,nothing has been found which will take its place4 ,for furniture upholstering there is nothing more elegant and durable than mohair plush4 ,the amount of plush thus used is governed by fashion4 ,in countries where large military forces are retained there is always a heavy demand for mohair braids4 ,there is no braid made which has the luster1 combined with the durability1 which mohair braid possesses4 ,here it may be stated that a coarse yarn can be used in making braids1 so that when there is a heavy demand for braids there should be a proportionately high price paid for coarse long mohair4 ,mohair braids are always in demand1 and will continue to be used upon ladies' clothing1 as well as for military ornamental purposes4 ,the variety of uses to which mohair is adapted is almost innumerable4 ,in the manufacture of hats it plays an important part1 and recently the demand for long fiber for the manufacture of wigs1 ladies' hair nets and other toilet articles has been created4 ,,world',s ,,supply ,,and ,,consumption4 ,at present ,asia ,minor and ,south ,africa can be regarded as the two leading producers of mohair4 ,the ,asia ,minor exports vary considerably1 according to the price allowed1 and as no manufactured stuff is exported1 one gets a fair idea of the amount produced4 ,it may be broadly stated that the ,asia ,minor clip amounts to about nine million pounds annually4 ,that of ,south ,africa amounts to about ten million pounds1 and the ,united ,states now produces about one million pounds annually4 ,of this production a very large percentage of that coming from all these countries may be regarded as inferior stuff4 ,we mean by this1 that the ,angora goat raising industry is yet in its infancy1 and that much of the mohair produced is sheared from goats which have been bred from the common hair variety4 ,many of the characteristics of the fleece of the common goat still persist in the mohair4 ,from the foregoing estimate the world's supply of mohair may be stated as twenty million pounds annually4 ,australia is as yet producing only a very small amount4 ,practically eighty-five to ninety per cent4 of the world's supply of mohair is handled in ,bradford1 ,england4 ,nearly all of the ,south ,african and ,turkish stuff is shipped directly to ,bradford1 a small amount of the ,constantinople export coming to ,america1 but a large part of the ,american import comes from ,liverpool1 ,england4 ,at ,bradford the raw material is manufactured1 some of the manufactured stuff being exported as yarn1 but the larger part is used to produce the finished article4 ,the remaining ten or fifteen per cent4 is manufactured in the ,united ,states4 ,at times the demand for mohair goods stimulates the demand for raw material1 and the ,united ,states has been known to use from twenty to twenty-five per cent4 of the world's supply4 ,to recapitulate1 the ,united ,states produces five per cent4 of the world's annual supply of raw mohair1 and manufactures from ten to twenty-five per cent4 of the world's annual production4 ,,mohair ,,prices4 ,the price of mohair has fluctuated with the caprice of fashion4 ,supply and demand are the essential factors in its valuation1 but demand has been so influenced by the requirements of fashion in the past that one finds a wide range in price for the raw material4 ,in a report issued by the ,bradford ,observer we find the price ranging from fifty cents a pound in #ahef1 to eighty cents in #ahff1 ninety cents in #ahgf1 and then down to thirty cents in #ahhf and #ahif4 ,in #aijc the average price in the ,united ,states was about thirty-five cents a pound1 and for #aijd about thirty cents a pound4 ,illustration3 ,,ready ,,for ,,the ,,shearers4 ,to-day there is a demand for mohair1 regardless of fashion4 ,during the past two years the price of raw material has been low1 but there has been a margin of profit in the industry1 and considering the fact that fashion's decree has eliminated the manufacture of luster fabrics for the present1 the mohair producer can feel assured that there will be a steady market for his material4 ,with the occasional good times when luster goods are in demand1 the mohair grower should do well4 ,,shearing ,,and ,,packing ,,mohair4 ,the goat should be shorn before he commences to shed1 as the mohair loses its weight and luster after the shedding process begins4 ,there are a few goats1 which1 under certain kinds of food and climatic conditions1 will not shed their fleeces1 but most goats will shed1 and even goats which have carried their fleeces over a year in one section1 may shed if they are moved a few miles and the food is changed4 ,a class of non-shedders would be very valuable1 but so far a distinctive class of non-shedders1 under any and all conditions1 and which transmit this peculiarity1 has not been identified4 ,the ,angora goat will usually commence to shed early in the spring1 or as soon as a few warm bright days come4 ,in some sections of the country it is thought advisable to shear twice a year4 ,many points in favor of this method are advocated4 ,it is claimed that the price realized for the two medium length1 or short stapled fleeces1 together with the increased number of pounds shorn in the two clippings a year1 pays much better than the one long staple fleece which can be shorn from the same animal for a year's growth4 ,there are many reasons both for and against shearing twice a year4 ,the mills prefer long mohair1 or at least fiber more than six inches in length 7combing length74 ,they pay the best price for this class of mohair1 and it must be left to the individual to decide whether it pays him best to shear once or twice a year4 ,at present possibly one-third of the ,angoras in the ,united ,states are shorn twice a year1 and the remaining two-thirds only once4 ,in ,asia ,minor one finds the goat shearer using a pair of long bladed scissors to cut the mohair4 ,the goats are shorn in the spring1 and only once during the year4 ,the animal's feet are tied1 and then by using both hands1 one at either end of the scissors1 the goat is shorn4 ,recently some ,englishman has introduced an ordinary spring sheep shear1 but most of the natives prefer the scissors4 ,to-day one finds the hand shearer and the machine shearer at work in ,america4 ,the hand shearer should use a pair of short bladed 7about five inch blade7 sheep shears4 ,this is to prevent the point of the shear from cutting mohair1 which is not intended to be clipped with that particular stroke of the shear4 ,if1 for instance1 the shearer is clipping the mohair along the sides of the animal1 and the point of the shear cuts some of the mohair at least three inches out from the body1 this stubble is shorn again 7double cut7 when the shearer gets to this place1 and this three-inch mohair is too short to be of much value4 ,it will be combed out at the mill as noil4 ,an expert shearer can clip about the same number of range goats that he can range sheep--from ninety to one hundred and twenty a day4 ,the machine shear is rapidly taking the place of the hand shear4 ,it clips the mohair close to the skin and almost does away with double cutting4 ,it requires less skill to shear with a machine shear1 and it does the work more uniformly4 ,there is also less danger of cutting the animal4 ,the machines do the work very rapidly4 ,after the goat is shorn the fleece should be collected and rolled into a bundle1 bump1 and placed in a sack or bale4 ,it should not be tied1 as the mill men object to the particles of string which remain in the mohair and disfigure the manufactured product4 ,any colored fleeces1 discolored mohair1 or mohair containing objectionable features1 such as burrs1 straw1 etc41 can be placed in separate parcels4 ,the kid mohair can be kept by itself1 and the wether and doe mohair can be separately packed4 ,the long mohair should be kept separate from short stuff4 ,thus one grades the mohair to some extent on the farm1 and he has a better idea of what the clip should bring4 ,if the mohair is to be shipped a long distance1 it will pay to bale the fleeces1 as compact bales occupy much less space than sacks4 ,the freight rates are usually less upon baled mohair than they are upon the sacked material4 ,the cost of baling the mohair is a little less than the cost of sacking4 ,illustration ,,breeding ,,of ,,the ,,angora ,,goat4 ,one can learn very little about breeding the ,angora goat from the ,turk4 ,as we know from ,tchikacheff's work1 which was published over fifty years ago1 cold winters often killed many of the ,angoras in ,asia ,minor1 and the ,turk then imported from more favored districts common bucks or does to breed to the ,angora4 ,this was before the great demand for mohair1 occasioned by the increase in manufacturing plants at ,bradford1 ,england1 caused the ,turkish mohair raisers to resort to all manner of means to increase the supply of raw material4 ,to-day the ,turk is treading in the paths of his forefathers4 ,what was good enough for them1 certainly ought to be good enough for him1 so he reasons4 ,he eats with his fingers1 cooks on a brazier1 sits on the floor1 eats1 drinks1 sleeps and works all in the same room1 and keeps his wives in seclusion4 ,when he comes to breeding the ,angora he leaves that to his servants1 if he be wealthy enough to have any4 ,most of the breeders cannot read or write4 ,they have never traveled4 ,they have no ambition1 and they know nothing of the principles of selective breeding4 ,as a natural consequence the ,angora goat of to-day has not improved1 nor is he likely to improve under ,turkish management4 ,one large breeder who supplied bucks to some tributary country1 said that he thought that it was a shame to castrate a buck1 no matter how bad he might be4 ,the ,turk separates the bucks from the does at breeding season1 as ,asia ,minor has cold weather late in the spring1 and the danger of losing kids1 if they come too early1 is great4 ,when the bucks are turned with the flock they are allowed to run until the next breeding season1 and all of the bucks1 regardless of quality or quantity1 are allowed to run with the does4 ,when the first few ,angoras arrived in ,america the natural procedure was to cross them upon the common short-haired goat of this country4 ,it was a new industry1 and many wanted to try the ,angora4 ,very slowly the ,angora1 or the cross-bred animals were scattered over the ,united ,states4 ,stories were told of the wonderful things for which the mohair was used1 and some supposedly reliable authorities quoted mohair at #h4jj a pound1 as has been stated4 ,companies were started1 and of course the supply of good ,angoras1 that is1 goats which would shear about four pounds of mohair 7worth at that time about seventy-five cents or a dollar a pound71 was limited4 ,men bought any goat which had a trace of ,angora blood in him as a thoroughbred ,angora4 ,a few years1 however1 demonstrated the fact that a common goat1 with a little admixture of ,angora blood1 did not produce either the quality or the quantity of fleece wanted4 ,only a few of the more persistent breeders continued the experiment and their investigations4 ,they sent and went to the home of the ,angora1 and brought more of the original animals to ,america4 ,it took the ,american breeders about thirty years to find out just what the ,angora goat was and how he should be handled4 ,during that thirty years large flocks of common goats1 which had been crossed with the ,angora1 and which might be properly termed grade flocks1 had been formed4 ,only a few thoroughbred flocks1 that is1 flocks of the original ,angora1 as he came from ,turkey1 were in existence4 ,,crossing ,,with ,,the ,,common ,,short ,,haired ,,goat4 ,by experience we have learned that the common short coarse haired goat can be crossed with the ,angora goat1 and that after sufficient crosses have been made1 the cross-bred ,angora so nearly resembles the thoroughbred that for all practical purposes he is an ,angora4 ,we have also learned that certain kinds of common goats respond rapidly to the infusion of ,angora blood1 and that others retain certain peculiarities of the common goat for generations4 ,the ,angora will not cross with sheep4 ,for instance1 a common goat with a long mane on the back1 or tuft of long hair behind the foreleg1 or on the flank or the hip1 will continue to perpetuate this long coarse hair on the offspring for generations1 even though the best of ,angora blood be infused4 ,the color of the common goat is of some importance4 ,a brown or reddish brown goat retains the reddish cast at the base of the mohair much longer than one of a bluish or bluish black color4 ,it is equally true that a pure white mother may drop a colored kid occasionally4 ,in ,constantinople the mohair is graded into parcels containing red kemp1 black kemp1 etc4 ,there it is the kemp which retains the color4 ,as has been stated1 there is also a breed of brown ,angora goats1 or at least mohair-producing goats1 in ,koniah in ,asia ,minor4 ,presuming1 then1 that one has a suitable common doe and a good ,angora buck as a basis1 the following may be deduced as relative changes in the different crosses3 ,illustration3 ,,pasha ,v--,a ,true ,breeder4 ,the first cross1 or half-blood ,angora1 will have a covering of short coarse common hair and a thin covering of mohair1 which does not grow very long4 ,if the animal were to be shorn1 possibly a half pound of hair of a very inferior grade might be yielded4 ,if this hair were to be offered to a manufacturer1 he would class it as noil1 and refer it to a carpet manufacturer1 who would possibly pay ten or twelve cents a pound for it4 ,the skin of the animal will be a little fluffy1 and not suitable for fine goat skin trade4 ,it will not take a good polish after tanning1 and it is not desirable for shoe leather4 ,it will be worth about half as much as common goat skin4 ,the meat of the animal will be a little better than that of the common goat1 but it will be inferior to ,angora venison4 ,the animal will still be as prolific as the common goat4 ,twins and triplets will be a common occurrence4 ,the kids will also be hardy4 ,if one were to stop at this stage in breeding1 he would have decreased the value of the skin of his goat without increasing the value of the animal4 ,the second cross1 or the three-quarter blood ,angora1 will have a covering of short coarse common hair1 especially noticeable on the back1 belly1 neck and hips4 ,the mohair will now be fairly thickly set upon the sides of the animal1 and of medium length1 about seven inches long for a year's growth4 ,if the animal were to be examined by a novice1 he would be called an ,angora from his general appearance4 ,if shorn1 he will yield about one1 or one and a half pounds of hair1 and the mohair manufacturer will pay about twelve or fifteen cents a pound for the material4 ,the skin is valueless for rug1 robe or trimming purposes1 because of the coarse back and the scanty covering of mohair4 ,it is fit for glove leather after tanning1 but its value for this purpose is less than that of the common goat4 ,the meat is more like ,angora venison1 and can be sold on the market as mutton4 ,the animal is still prolific4 ,from the second cross on1 the grade goat rapidly assumes the characteristic of the ,angora goat1 but if for any reason poor bucks are used 7an occasional animal without apparent reason retrogrades71 the animal as rapidly resumes the characteristic of the common goat4 ,quite a percentage of colored kids will be dropped by does which are themselves white4 ,the third cross1 or seven-eighths blood ,angora1 will still have the coarse back1 a partially bare belly1 coarse hips1 and the neck will be insufficiently covered4 ,the sides will be covered with good quality1 long staple mohair1 comparatively free from the coarse1 dead underhair1 or kemp4 ,the animal will shear about two or three pounds of fair mohair1 which will be worth from twenty to thirty cents a pound4 ,this mohair will be fit to run through the combs1 and the top1 or long mohair1 free from kemp1 will be used in the manufacture of plushes1 braids1 etc4 ,the skin will have some value for rug1 robe and trimming purposes4 ,the meat will be juicy1 palatable and salable as mutton4 ,the fourth cross1 or fifteen-sixteenths blood ,angora1 will be hardly distinguishable from the average thoroughbred ,angora4 ,the coarse back will persist to some extent1 and the hip will be plentifully covered with kemp4 ,a good many of this grade will be poorly covered on the belly1 and an occasional bare necked or off colored animal will be dropped4 ,the animal will shear from two and a half to five pounds of mohair of good quality1 which will be worth from twenty-five to thirty-five cents a pound4 ,it will be from eight to twelve inches long at a year's growth1 and it will be combed at the mill4 ,it is fit for manufacturing into any of the goods for which mohair is used4 ,the meat of the animal is rich1 juicy1 and free from the disagreeable qualities so often noticeable in mutton4 ,if the animal be fed upon browse1 the meat will have the flavor of venison4 ,the tendency of the mothers to drop twins will be lessened1 and it will be rather the exception for twins to be born4 ,the kids will be rather delicate when dropped4 ,subsequent crosses will tend to reduce the amount of kemp upon the animal and to improve the back4 ,the question will now resolve itself into one of breeding for points4 ,bucks must be selected which cover the points the does need most1 and by careful selection the grade flock will soon be indistinguishable from the thoroughbreds4 ,,methods ,,used ,,in ,,america ,,to-,,day4 ,by gradual steps the original ,angoras imported into ,america have been so improved1 and the cross-bloods have been so highly graded that some of the ,american flocks equal the best ,turkish flocks4 ,america has many high-grade flocks1 which1 if it were not for the remaining coarse hair of the common goat1 would be upon a par with the ,turkish flocks4 ,there are enough good goats in the country for a foundation stock1 and a few years more of the careful1 painstaking1 selective breeding which is in progress throughout the ,united ,states to-day1 will bring forth an ,angora superior to the ,turkish stock4 ,sections of the country modify the characteristics of the ,angora4 ,probably climatic conditions1 varieties of food and water1 and certainly mental vigor of the owners is largely responsible for this4 ,one man selects large1 well formed1 rapidly maturing goats and breeds for this type4 ,it is surprising how soon his flocks assume this type4 ,another breeder works for fineness of fleece1 regardless of size or shape of the animal1 and he gets his points4 ,there has been much vagueness as to what points the breeder should try to produce4 ,some have claimed that the most profitable animal to raise was one producing heavy ringletty fleece1 regardless of the quality of the fleece1 except of course that it should be as free from kemp as possible4 ,this day has passed4 ,we know what the mohair is used for1 and know how it is prepared for manufacturing4 ,the future may change these uses or methods1 but we know what we want now1 and we know how to breed our goats to produce the most money per head for the present at least4 ,fashions vary1 and the fashions vary the demand for certain grades of mohair4 ,coarse fibered1 long staple1 fine luster mohair possessing a great amount of tensile strength and elasticity will make good braid yarns1 but if braid yarns are not in demand1 such fiber is not the best for plush or dress yarns4 ,fine fibered1 long staple1 pliable1 lustrous1 easily spun yarn can be used for braid stuff1 or at least part of the fleece will be heavy enough for this purpose1 and the finer parts have such a variety of uses that they spin yarns which are always in demand4 ,looking at the question from the manufacturing standpoint1 we see that the most staple product is the fine-fibered mohair4 ,but a producer might have animals which would shear two and a half pounds average 7the average of the ,turkish flocks7 of very fine mohair1 while another grower might have animals which would shear four or five pounds average of coarse mohair4 ,and even though the value per pound of the coarse mohair may be considerably less than that of the fine mohair1 the grower owning the coarse haired heavy shearing ,angoras will realize more money per head for his clip4 ,the value also of the carcass and skin of the ,angora is of importance4 ,a heavy carcass and a large skin are of more value than a light carcass and a small skin4 ,if the ,angora breeder would produce the animal which will yield the most money per head1 he should aim to produce an animal which will shear the heaviest fleece of the most marketable mohair1 regardless of fashions1 and one which1 when put upon the market1 will dress the most possible pounds of desirable meat1 and yield a readily marketable skin4 ,there are not many such animals on the market to-day1 but the time when there will be plenty is coming4 ,we have the fineness of fiber2 we have the density of weight of fleece2 we have the covering of the animal and the size and stamina of the individual1 and we have breeders who are endeavoring to unite combinations to produce the ,angora of the future4 ,but while we are without the ideal1 one should choose that point which is hardest to attain1 most necessary for the best paying animal1 and work especially for that4 ,that point is fineness of fiber1 always remembering freeness from kemp4 ,there are many large goats1 many heavy shearing goats1 but there are very few fine fibered comparatively free from kemp goats4 ,one should not make the mistake of neglecting size and weight of fleece4 ,there are few animals which will respond more rapidly to careful crossing than the ,angora goat4 ,a buck will usually stamp his individuality upon every kid1 hence the necessity of carefully selecting breeding stock4 ,,gestation4 ,the period of gestation varies slightly with the individual1 but the average may be approximately stated as one hundred and forty-seven days1 or about five months4 ,both the bucks and the does have a breeding season1 but this season may be changed or varied by different elements4 ,as a rule the bucks commence to rut about ,july or ,august here in ,america1 and the does soon after the time the bucks commence4 ,some bucks which have been allowed to run with the does all of the time1 never cease rutting1 and the does conceive about every six months4 ,the does come in heat about every fourteen days1 and remain in this condition for about three days4 ,if the bucks are allowed to run with the does1 one buck should be used for about every fifty does4 ,if the buck is only allowed to serve the doe once1 a grown animal will serve one hundred and fifty does in forty days without permanent injury to himself4 ,the does conceive at about the age of seven months1 and the bucks breed at about the same age1 but the wise breeder will not sacrifice the individual by interfering with its development4 ,both the buck and the doe should not be bred until they are at least a year old4 ,the bucks should be fed at breeding season1 and if one has a sufficient number of bucks1 it is well to turn the bucks with the does in relays4 ,it is advisable to have the kids start coming slowly1 so that one may get new men trained to handle them properly4 ,one or two bucks turned with a flock of a thousand does for a few days1 and then removed and allowed to rest1 and a new relay of three or more bucks turned with the does1 to be removed in a few days1 and a new relay being introduced into the flock1 will do more satisfactory work than they would if all of the bucks were turned in at one time4 ,the same principle can be applied to smaller flocks4 ,the does should be protected from cold storms or rough handling when they are heavy with kid1 else they are liable to abort4 ,if for any unusual cause the doe aborts one season1 there is no reason why she will not carry her kid until full term another time1 and experience has proven that she will4 ,illustration3 ,,pasha ,v ,,and ,,bismarck4 ,american bred bucks1 ,bismarck shearing #ab pounds1 was the sire of the grand champion buck at the ,st4 ,louis ,world's ,fair1 #aijd4 ,,breeding ,,of ,,registered ,,stock4 ,the breeding of registered stock1 or stock of known ancestry1 requires much care and quite different handling4 ,both the does and the bucks must be marked with an ear tag1 brand1 tattoo number1 or some other permanent individual mark1 and the kids should be marked at birth4 ,fifty known does may be put in a pasture or pen and a known buck put with them4 ,he should be allowed to run with them at least forty days4 ,after this the does may be collected into a flock and several bucks turned with them1 but only the kids which are dropped from a known buck are fit for record4 ,a more accurate method1 and one which can be used with a large flock1 is to place the bucks in a corral adjoining the one used by the does at night4 ,the does should be brought into their corral early in the evening1 and all of those in heat will work along the fence next to the bucks4 ,the doe in heat can be caught and the number taken and recorded in a book4 ,she is then placed in a small pen with a buck and his number is recorded with hers1 together with the date4 ,if the doe does not conceive1 she can be put with the same buck again at a later date1 and one has approximate knowledge of when she should drop her kid4 ,in this manner a buck will serve about two or three does in the evening1 and one or two in the morning4 ,the kid is marked at birth and the number recorded after that of the mother4 ,the breeding of recorded stock is of value only for special reasons1 and is not advisable with large flocks1 as it is expensive4 ,illustration ,,angora ,,venison4 ,angora venison is the name which should be given to the flesh of the ,angora goat4 ,at the present time it is usually sold in the markets as mutton4 ,the term goat meat should be applied to meat of the common goat1 and the term mutton belongs to sheep4 ,because the ,angora goat feeds largely upon that material which nourishes the deer1 the meat of the ,angora is flavored like venison4 ,the fat is well distributed1 and the healthfulness of the animal renders this an especially desirable meat4 ,the ,turk has long recognized ,angora venison as an important element in his diet4 ,angora kid is above comparison1 and it occupies the principle place on the menu at private as well as state affairs in the ,orient4 ,as one passes through the market places in ,asia ,minor he sees the carcasses of the ,angora hanging in every shop4 ,there is no mistaking the animal1 as the skin still remains on the goat4 ,one takes his choice1 and as a rule more ,angora venison than mutton is sold4 ,some of the ,turks keep their wethers until they become coarse-haired and too old to pay to keep longer1 eight or ten years old4 ,this class of meat ranks with old mutton1 and sells at a discount4 ,young wethers and does are in good demand4 ,there has existed in ,america some prejudice against the flesh of the goat4 ,to-day thousands of goats are being consumed annually1 but most of them are sold as mutton4 ,packers and butchers still insist that ,angora venison must be sold as mutton4 ,they pay about one-half a cent to a cent a pound less for the goat than for sheep4 ,the goat never fattens as well along the back as the sheep1 and hence the carcass does not look so well4 ,the fat is more evenly distributed throughout the animal in the goat4 ,an expert once said that to know whether a goat was fat one should feel the brisket1 and if there was a considerable layer of adipose tissue between the skin and the breast bone1 the animal was fat4 ,some of the ,american breeders do not send their wethers to market until they get too old to produce valuable fleeces4 ,the animals are then slaughtered when they have grown a half year's fleece1 and the skins are reserved by the breeder4 ,these skins are valuable1 and help to bring up the average price of the goat4 ,at present some of the packers recognize no difference between shorn and unshorn goats4 ,the price is the same1 so it pays to shear the goats before bringing them to market4 ,there is absolutely no strong flavor in prime ,angora venison1 and this is where the meat differs from that of the common goat4 ,the goat is a slow grower1 and not until the second year do the bones ossify4 ,therefore1 a two-year-old can be sold for lamb1 as he has a soft joint4 ,grown ,angora wethers do not average much more than one hundred pounds as a rule1 although there are occasional bands sold which average one hundred and fifteen pounds4 ,it is safe to say that ,angora venison will never supplant mutton1 but it will have its place among the edible meats4 ,illustration3 ,,angora ,,buck--,early ,importation4 ,,angora ,,goat ,,skins4 ,an ,angora goat skin differs considerably from the skin of the common goat4 ,in the first place the ,angora skin is covered with more or less mohair2 and in the second place1 the texture of the skin itself is different4 ,the skin of the common goat is firm1 and the different layers are so closely united that they cannot be separated4 ,the layers of the ,angora skin are not so closely united1 and the skin is slightly fluffy4 ,the outer layer of this skin peels off when it is used4 ,the ,angora skin is valuable both with the fleece on and without it4 ,its principle value1 however1 is with the fleece on4 ,after the skins have been properly tanned1 they are used for rugs1 robes1 trimmings1 and imitating various furs4 ,when ladies' and children's ,angora furs are in style1 these skins become very valuable for this purpose4 ,one skin has cut #ag4jj worth of trimming at wholesale4 ,of course1 the value of the skins depends upon the quality and character of the mohair with which the skins are covered1 and their size4 ,large1 well covered skins are always scarce and command good prices4 ,they are worth from #a4jj to #b4jj each4 ,most of the ,asia ,minor skins are sent to ,austria1 and the prices paid for the raw skins are about the same as in ,america4 ,the skins which have had the mohair removed are valuable for the manufacture of gloves and morocco leather4 ,they do not make as fine leather as the common goat skins1 but they are as extensively used4 ,all skins should be carefully handled4 ,the skin should be carefully removed from the carcass4 ,goats do not skin as easily as sheep1 and the careless operator is liable to cut the inner layers of the skin if he is not careful4 ,these cuts are called flesh-cuts1 and skins badly flesh-cut are comparatively valueless1 because flesh-cuts can not be removed by the tanner4 ,a sharp knife should be used1 and the operator should avoid cutting the skin4 ,the skin should be well salted1 care being taken to see that the salt penetrates every portion of the raw surface4 ,the skins can be cured in the shade without the use of salt1 but sun-dried skins are worthless4 ,if the edges of the skin are allowed to roll1 so that raw surfaces come together1 the part so affected will heat and the hair pull out4 ,it is not necessary to stretch the skins while curing them4 ,goats should be killed when their fleece is suitable for robe and rug purposes4 ,those carrying a six month's fleece1 if it is six inches long1 have about the right kind of skins4 ,there are some ,angora skins imported from ,turkey and ,south ,africa4 ,illustration3 ,prize winners at the ,columbian ,exposition1 ,chicago1 #ahic4 ,,by-,,products ,,of ,,angora ,,goats4 ,the ,angora goat should not be classed with milch animals4 ,as a rule the does give a sufficient amount of milk to nourish the kid or kids4 ,the more common blood there is in the goat the better milch animal she is4 ,however1 some ,angoras have been milked1 and the milk is as rich as that of the common goat4 ,a quart of milk a day may be considered a fair average for a fresh milch ,angora doe4 ,it has been suggested that because the milk of the goat contains a heavy percentage of fat1 it is a proper substitute for mothers' milk for babies4 ,this is probably a mistake1 as that part of the milk which is the hardest for the baby to digest is the protein1 and it will be observed that in the following table of analysis submitted1 the percentage of protein in goat's milk and in cow's milk is about the same1 and that it is considerably larger than in mother's milk4 ,a very desirable feature in goat's milk is that the fat is distributed throughout the milk1 and that it does not readily separate from the milk4 ,this would assist in the assimilation of the fat by an infant4 ,some experiments made with coffee demonstrate that it requires half the quantity of goat's milk to produce the same effect upon this beverage which cow's milk produces4 ,this may be partially explained by the quantity of fat in goat's milk1 and partially by the fact that the fat does not readily separate from the milk4 ,the bottom of the can is as good as the top4 ,,analysis ,,of ,,milk4 ,,mother',s ,,cow',s ,,goat',s ,,average ,,average ,,average ,fat #d4jj #c4ej #g4cj ,sugar #g4jj #d4cj #d4aj ,proteid #a4ej #d4jj #d4ah ,salts 4#bj 4#gj #a4ba ,water #hg4cj #hg4ej #hc4ba ------ ------ ------ #ajj4jj #ajj4jj #ajj4jj ,persons in poor health have been greatly benefitted by the use of goat's milk4 ,this is probably due to the fact that the fat in the milk is so distributed that a large percentage of it is taken up by the digestive apparatus4 ,angora goats are docile1 and it is possible that some of them could be developed into good milch animals4 ,,fertilizer4 ,it is a known fact that packers of the present day utilize all of the carcass of most food animals1 but it is not the fertilizer which the packer makes from the blood and offal of the goat which we shall consider here4 ,sheep's manure has been used for years on orchards and vegetable gardens1 and in the last few years goats' manure has been in demand1 selling at from #f to #g4ej a ton1 depending upon the purity of the fertilizer4 ,it must be remembered that only a small portion of this manure is dropped at the night bed-ground1 the balance is evenly distributed over the land upon which the goats are feeding4 ,the goats not only rid the farm of objectionable weeds and brush1 but they help to furnish a rich soil in which grass will grow4 ,this fact has been so thoroughly demonstrated that western farmers1 who have large tracts of wheat or barley stubble to rent during the summer1 are always anxious to get goats upon this land4 ,,other ,,products4 ,the horns of the goats are used to make handles for pocket knives1 etc4 ,the hoofs are used in the manufacture of glue4 ,illustration ,,food1 ,,climate ,,and ,,protection4 ,on the mountains and in the valleys of the ,united ,states the ,angora has had a variety of food4 ,he is a natural browser1 and will live almost entirely on brush1 if this kind of food is to be found1 but he readily adapts himself to circumstances1 and will live and do well upon an exclusively grass diet4 ,the fact that the goat is a browser has been made use of in clearing farms of brush and objectional weeds4 ,if a sufficient number of goats are confined upon a limited area for a period of time1 they will kill most of the brush upon this land4 ,they will eat almost every kind of brush1 but they have their preferences and enjoy especially blackberry vines and those kinds of brush which contain tannic acid1 such as scrub oak4 ,they do not poison easily1 and if there is a variety of food they rarely eat enough of any kind of poisonous plant to prove fatal4 ,if1 however1 they are hungry1 and have access to places where there are poisonous plants1 they will eat enough to kill themselves4 ,,killing ,,brush4 ,if one wishes to clear brush land1 he should confine the goats to a comparatively small tract4 ,the goats kill the shrubs by eating the leaves and by peeling the bark from the branches and trunks of the trees4 ,the brush thus deprived of lungs1 soon dies and the roots rot4 ,as fast as the leaves grow they must be consumed1 so it is well to allow the goats to eat most of the leaves off of a limited tract1 and then in order to give the goats plenty of feed1 they should be moved to another field4 ,as soon as the leaves on the first tract have regrown the goats should be again confined to this land4 ,in this way the leaves are continually destroyed4 ,this process can be continued as fast as the leaves regrow4 ,by this method it is estimated that a bunch of one hundred to one hundred and fifty goats will clear forty acres of thick brush in about two years4 ,in countries where the grass grows as the brush dies1 goats will eat some of this grass1 but they prefer the browse4 ,on some of the older goat ranches1 where the ,angora has been raised exclusively for the mohair and mutton1 it has become quite a problem to prevent the goats from killing out the brush4 ,the goats have done well where other kinds of livestock would have starved1 but as soon as the brush is killed the land produces almost nothing1 and even the goats cannot make a living4 ,to prevent as far as possible their killing the brush the flocks are moved frequently from one range to another1 so that the shrubs have a chance to recuperate between visits4 ,in this way brush can be kept almost indefinitely for the goats4 ,on some of the western ranges1 where cattle and sheep have1 by continual cropping1 killed much of the grass1 good browse remains4 ,these ranges would have to be abandoned if it were not for the goat4 ,goats do not in any way interfere with the pasturage of cattle or other livestock4 ,cattle feed contentedly on the same range with the goats1 and this fact has led many southern cattle men to invest in goats4 ,the goats are herded on the brushy lands1 and the cattle range over the same territory and eat the grass4 ,horses have a great fondness for goats4 ,,salt4 ,goats1 like other livestock1 should have a small amount of salt4 ,the salt should be kept where they can get it at liberty1 or else it should be fed at regular intervals4 ,if ground salt is given1 care should be taken to see that individuals do not eat an oversupply of the salt4 ,,water4 ,while ,angoras do not require as much water as sheep1 yet they should be given a quantity sufficient at least once a day4 ,in winter goats will live upon snow4 ,men have reported that their goats have gone for a week at a time1 and all summer long1 without any more moisture than they could get from browse and weeds1 but even if ,angoras should stand this treatment1 they will thrive better with water once daily4 ,it is estimated that under normal conditions a goat will consume about one-ninetieth of its body weight 7about a pint of water for a grown animal7 in a day4 ,on hot days1 when the animals are on dry feed1 they will frequently drink two quarts of water4 ,,sheds4 ,to raise ,angora goats most profitably one should really be provided with sheds4 ,these sheds should be about the same as those which are provided for sheep in the same locality4 ,for years southern and western breeders have made a success of the ,angora industry1 and very few of them have had any artificial protection for their goats4 ,but even these breeders find that they can raise a larger percentage of increase1 and get through the year with a smaller percentage of loss if they have sheds4 ,grown goats rarely need much shelter1 even in the winter1 if the weather is dry1 but during cold1 damp storms the fleece wets through and the animal chills4 ,just after shearing1 or just before kidding season1 one is liable to lose some grown animals1 or to have many kids slunk1 if the goats are not protected from cold storms4 ,young kids also require attention1 and proper sheds more than pay for themselves by preventing excessive mortality4 ,whether the shed should be closed on all sides1 or whether it may be left open1 depends upon the locality4 ,do as one would for sheep1 under the same conditions1 will be a fairly safe rule to follow4 ,allow at least four or five square feet of shed room to each mature animal1 and the danger of the goats crowding together in the corners and smothering the animals on the underside of the pile1 should never be forgotten4 ,on very cold nights large numbers1 especially of the kids1 may be killed by smothering1 if they are not carefully watched4 ,,fences4 ,the question of fencing for the ,angora goat is not such a serious matter as the beginner would imagine4 ,if the goats have not been raised as pets and taught to jump1 there will be little trouble with the animals going over a perpendicular fence of ordinary height4 ,they will1 however1 go through or under the fence1 if it is possible4 ,they are natural climbers1 and if the fence offers projecting steps1 upon which they can climb1 they will soon find their way to the outside of the enclosure4 ,some of the old stone and rail fences will not hold goats4 ,any perpendicular fence1 three feet high1 with transverse spaces not wider than three or four inches for the lower two feet1 and not wider than six inches for the upper foot1 will hold goats4 ,if the spaces in the fence are perpendicular1 they will necessarily have to be narrower1 as small kids will crawl through the spaces4 ,a woven-wire fence1 two feet high1 with a perpendicular stay1 at least twelve inches apart1 so that the goats will not get their heads caught in the fence1 surmounted by a couple of plain or barbed wires1 six inches apart1 will hold goats1 and if barbed wire is used1 will prevent cattle from breaking the fence4 ,if plain or barbed wire is used1 the first three wires nearest the ground should be placed not more than three inches apart1 and close enough to the ground to prevent kids from crawling under the lowest wire4 ,the space between the next wires may be increased to four1 five and six inches1 and so on to the desired height of the fence4 ,a board fence composed of three boards four inches wide1 with a space between the ground and the first board of about three inches1 and a three or four inch space between the boards1 the whole being surmounted by a barbed or plain wire or two makes a very satisfactory goat fence4 ,if pickets or posts are used1 they should be set closely enough together1 say about two inches apart1 to prevent small kids from crawling between them4 ,an objection has been raised to barbed wire1 on account of the mohair which the barbs pull out4 ,the amount of mohair lost in this way is inconsiderable4 ,as has been stated1 it hurts the goat to pull the mohair1 and the goat soon learns to avoid the barbs4 ,many breeders use barbed wire corrals and find them satisfactory4 ,probably woven wire is the best fence under ordinary conditions4 ,,herding4 ,in mountainous countries1 where it is not practical to fence the range1 the flocks should be watched by herders4 ,the ,angora has a natural tendency to return home1 or to a known camping ground at night1 and in some places this tendency is relied upon to bring the flock home1 and they are not herded4 ,of course1 in countries where there is no danger from loss by depredations of wild animals1 and where food is so plentiful that the goats must find a sufficient amount1 the flock may be turned loose4 ,one shepherd should tend from one to two thousand head1 as goats flock together well4 ,of course1 during kidding season the flocks will have to be more closely watched4 ,goats travel rapidly and cover a considerable amount of territory in a day4 ,a flock may travel from ten to twelve miles from the time they leave camp in the morning until they return to camp in the evening4 ,the herder should walk ahead of the leaders of the flock1 so that they will not travel too fast1 or he may walk upon a nearby elevation1 so that he can see that the flock does not separate4 ,a flock will sometimes string out over a mile4 ,the goats should be given freedom4 ,too often a zealous herder overworks himself and keeps his flock poor by crowding them together4 ,a good sheep herder soon learns the nature of the goat1 and when he understands the animal he would rather herd goats than sheep4 ,illustration3 ,prize winners at the ,st4 ,louis ,world's ,fair1 #aijd4 ,,dogs4 ,in some sections of the country sheep-killing dogs have proven a great nuisance to sheep-breeders4 ,to say that the ,angora goat will prevent dogs from killing sheep1 and that they will drive the dogs away1 would be a misstatement4 ,bucks and grown goats will protect themselves to some extent4 ,if a strange dog attacks a flock in a field1 the goats will usually huddle together and the bucks and grown animals will keep the dog at bay4 ,a mother will fight bravely to protect her kid4 ,illustration ,,kidding ,,angoras4 ,an experience of years has taught the ,turk that if he wishes to save many kids1 he must have them come late in the season4 ,the changeable weather of the ,turkish spring1 the frequent cold rains and the lack of proper shed accommodations1 have more than once not only destroyed the increase1 but also killed the grown goats4 ,the ,turkish methods of handling kids are of little practical value4 ,they know how delicate the kids are when they are born1 and they usually bring the kid and its mother to the house as soon as it is dropped4 ,the ,turkish ,angora goat men usually range small flocks1 and they also have a surplus of help1 so that this is a comparatively easy method4 ,the kids are allowed to go with the flocks as soon as they are old enough to travel4 ,the principal objection to letting young kids go with the flock is that the kids go to sleep1 and sleep so soundly that the flock feed away from them4 ,when the youngsters awake they are lost4 ,if there be wild animals about1 the kids may be killed1 or they may starve before they are found4 ,the ,turk1 however1 has so many herders with one flock that they usually discover the kids before the flock has strayed4 ,in ,america the kidding season is the most important time of the year for the ,angora breeder4 ,if he would raise a large increase1 he must be properly prepared1 and he must be constantly alert4 ,if the weather be fair1 with bright sunshiny days and temperate nights1 the kids will do well without much care1 but if it be cold1 stormy and muddy1 some of the kids will be lost in spite of all care4 ,after the kids are born the mothers should have such food as will produce the greatest amount of milk4 ,well-fed mothers make strong healthy kids4 ,green feed is desirable4 ,the proper season1 then1 for the kids to come will depend upon the climate and range conditions4 ,allowing for the period of gestation1 which is about five months1 the bucks can run with the does as early or as late as one wishes4 ,one can be guided somewhat by the time sheep men allow ewes to lamb4 ,when the first warm weather comes the goats usually commence to shed their mohair1 and as it is too early in the season for the kids to be dropped1 the does must be shorn before kidding or the mohair lost4 ,care should be exercised in handling the does heavy with kid4 ,for the first few days after shearing the doe should not be allowed to chill1 as she may abort4 ,in some countries it is possible to kid before shearing1 but there is no practical objection to shearing before kidding1 provided proper care be exercised4 ,,handling ,,of ,,kids4 ,there are various methods in use of handling the young kids1 and all of them are intended to save as large a percentage of increase as possible with the least possible expense4 ,almost every man who has handled goats has some individual idea which experience has taught him4 ,the locality and surroundings of the flock make a vast difference in the way they should be kidded4 ,the method which works best with fifty or one hundred does in a fenced brush pasture in ,oregon or ,iowa1 would be useless with a flock of a thousand or fifteen hundred in the mountains of ,nevada or ,new ,mexico1 where there is often no corral to hold the goats4 ,with a bunch of from fifty1 to two hundred and fifty1 and a shed big enough to hold the entire lot1 it is not difficult to raise a very large percentage of kids4 ,if the does are kept in a ten or twenty-acre pasture1 they should be allowed to run out and take care of themselves as much as possible4 ,the doe may drop her kid wherever she may happen to be1 and she will almost invariably take care of it and coax it to the shed at night4 ,the refusal of a young doe to own her kid must be overcome1 especially if the weather is unfavorable4 ,the mother must be caught and the milk forced into the kid's mouth until he learns to suckle4 ,after he has been sufficiently fed1 place them together in a box stall and leave them for a day or two4 ,then1 in all probability1 the mother will take care of her kid4 ,the box stall is about three feet square and three feet high1 with a little door on hinges to save lifting the animal4 ,a row along the inside of the shed next to the wall is a great convenience4 ,a doe with her kid should be disturbed as little as possible1 because1 as a rule1 she knows how to care for her kid better than a herder4 ,when goats are handled on a larger scale1 with no pasture available1 entirely different methods should be adopted--for the mother must go out to feed every day and the kid cannot go4 ,probably the most extensively used methods are the corral method and the staking method1 either used individually or combined4 ,,the ,,corral ,,method4 ,in the corral method1 two or three large corrals and numerous smaller ones are necessary4 ,first1 the does should be separated from the wethers1 if they have been running together1 and a wether band made4 ,then every morning the doe band must be looked over carefully for does that will kid during the day4 ,such does must be put in a corral by themselves and allowed to kid in this corral4 ,they should be fed some hay1 or if that is not possible1 they should be herded near by for a few hours4 ,it has been our experience that most of the kids will come between the hours of ten in the morning and four in the afternoon4 ,the more does which one can pick out in the morning the better it is1 for the doe1 after dropping her kid1 is allowed to stay with it the rest of the day and all night4 ,in this way she learns to know it4 ,if one has hay to feed the doe1 so that she may be left with her kid for one or two days1 it is a great advantage4 ,after all the does have been selected which can be found1 still some will be overlooked1 and they will go out on the range with the rest4 ,the best way to handle these is to have the herder make a straight drive to a certain point where the feed is good1 and then stay around this one place1 allowing the kids to come within as small a radius as possible without starving the goats4 ,if it is necessary1 quite a distance can be covered in this way1 and yet the kids will not be scattered over a large section of the country4 ,as a kid is dropped1 the doe should be allowed to remain with her kid and take care of it until evening4 ,the herd will gradually feed from them1 but it should be kept as near as possible to protect the kids from wild animals4 ,towards evening one must go out and gather up the kids and drive the mothers to the corral4 ,the large herd should be driven home in advance1 keeping a little apart from the does with kids so as not to coax the wet does away with the dry herd4 ,when the wagon with the kids reaches the ranch1 the kids should be put in a small corral4 ,they should be placed a few feet apart1 and the mothers should be allowed to select their own kids4 ,they also should be allowed to remain in the corral for the night at least4 ,in case a doe will not take her kid she should be placed in one of the box stalls and a kid which has no mother placed with her and fed4 ,when plenty of small corrals and good hay are available1 each day's kids should be left in a separate corral until the mothers have been with the kids one or two days4 ,it will be found that the kids are always given a very good start in this way4 ,when it is deemed advisable1 the kids are put together in a large corral1 and as soon as the mothers in the smaller corrals are thought to know their kids sufficiently well1 they are added to this wet band in the large corral4 ,thus the round is completed from the dry band to the wet band1 the small corral being simply an intermediate step to insure familiarity between the doe and her kid4 ,the dry band rapidly diminishes while the wet band increases4 ,the mothers are now ready to go on the range during the day to feed1 but the kids should be kept in the corral until they are at least six weeks old4 ,the does may be turned out over a jump board placed across the gate4 ,a jump board is a two-inch plank1 eighteen inches high1 with a four-inch strip nailed on the top for the does to put their feet on as they jump over4 ,the kids come to the board but cannot get over4 ,if some of the larger kids bother by trying to get over1 some one can stand at the gate to scare them back by pounding on the board with a stick4 ,the does will soon learn to pay no attention to the noise4 ,illustration3 ,,thoroughbred ,,angora ,,doe4 ,even now there will be a few kids which will not be mothered4 ,every morning1 before the wet band is allowed to go over the jump board1 one should walk through the herd1 pick out the kids that have not been nourished during the night1 and select does that are not suckling kids4 ,these does should be held until the kids have been fed4 ,a row of small stantions is a convenient thing for holding them4 ,after a kid gets a good start he will steal a living from different does if necessary4 ,to kid a band of from one thousand to fifteen hundred does by the corral method1 will require at least three men--one man to herd the dry band1 one the wet band1 and a man to look after the kids and assist where needed4 ,often the wet band is divided1 or when one wet band has reached the number of from five hundred to seven hundred animals1 another is started4 ,,the ,,staking ,,method4 ,the staking method is quite commonly used1 and in certain localities it is probably the best way to handle kids4 ,the apparatus necessary is a smooth piece of half-inch board1 two inches wide and four inches long1 with a hole bored in each end4 ,through the hole in one end a piece of rope eight inches long is passed1 and knotted so that it cannot pull out4 ,the loose end of this rope is then made fast to a stout stake which is to be driven into the ground4 ,through the hole in the other end a piece of rope eighteen inches long is passed and knotted as in the first end1 in such a way that the loose end of the rope1 which is to be fastened to the kid's leg1 draws away from the stake4 ,when the apparatus is in use the small stick with the holes in the ends acts as a swivel to keep the rope from tangling4 ,it is important to select a proper place to tie the kid4 ,he is to stay in this place for about six weeks1 and he needs protection from winds and wild animals1 and should have some sunshine and some shade4 ,usually a small tree1 a bush1 a fence1 or a post will offer a good place to stake4 ,the does which are expected to kid during the day are separated from the flock as in the corral method4 ,the balance of the band are herded1 so that the kids dropped on the range can be more easily handled4 ,just as soon as a kid is dropped1 it is taken to a convenient place to stake1 and the mother coaxed to follow4 ,one of the kid's legs is securely fastened to the loose end of the rope1 and the kid and its mother are left together4 ,the mother is thus free to go and feed1 and on returning will know exactly where to find her kid4 ,many owners allow the does which have kidded to herd themselves1 as they usually return to their kids1 often coming in several times during the day4 ,of course this necessitates having plenty of food and water within access of the staking ground4 ,the wet band could be herded as in the corral method4 ,in this staking method if a mother refuses to own her kid1 or if she dies1 the kid has no chance to steal milk from some other wet doe1 and unless closely watched1 quite a number of kids will starve4 ,the rope should be changed from one leg to the other occasionally to allow symmetry of development4 ,the preparation of ropes and stakes for a thousand kids is quite a task1 and it keeps the energetic herder busy during his spare moments getting ready for kidding time4 ,for the first few days the ,angora kid is full of life and vigor as any animal of like age4 ,if he be well nourished1 he will frisk and play at all kinds of antics1 until he is so tired that he must forget everything4 ,the sleep which comes is so sound that any usual amount of noise does not disturb him4 ,it is this characteristic which makes it unsafe to take kids on to the range with a flock4 ,the kids are liable to hide behind some bush1 go to sleep and be lost4 ,,castrating4 ,before the kids are allowed to go out with the flock the males should be castrated4 ,the ,turk does not alter the males until they have developed sexuality and the male horn1 i4 e41 the heavy characteristic buck horn4 ,he then castrates by either removing the testicles1 or by twisting or destroying the spermatic cord4 ,when the latter method is used the testicles and cord undergo an inflammatory process which destroys the regenerative power of the animal4 ,the testicles remain in the scrotum apparently unchanged4 ,the animal thus treated presents to the casual observer the physical characteristics of a buck4 ,the ,turk claims that an animal treated in this manner is less liable to die than one whose testicles are removed4 ,this is probably true1 as the initial lesion produced by the operation is very small1 and there is less liability of infection4 ,the usual method employed in this country is to remove the testicles before the regenerative power of the animal is developed4 ,this gives the wether a feminine appearance1 and there is comparatively little danger of death if the operation is properly performed4 ,it will be easiest to castrate the kids between the age of two and four weeks4 ,the kids should be driven into a small clean corral1 and after undergoing the operation they should be turned into a large clean enclosure4 ,the operator stands on the outside of the small corral1 and the assistant catches the kids and turns them belly up before the operator1 onto a board which has been fastened to the fence4 ,a pair of clean scissors1 or a sharp knife1 which may be kept in a five per cent4 carbolic acid solution when not in use1 serve to cut off the distal end of the scrotum4 ,the testicles are then seized with the fingers and drawn out4 ,the operator drops the castrated kid into the large enclosure and the assistant presents another kid4 ,two men can operate on sixty kids an hour4 ,the testicles are slippery and some herders prefer to use the teeth instead of the fingers to extract the testicles4 ,under no circumstances should any unclean thing be put into the scrotum4 ,death usually results from infection1 and infection from uncleanliness4 ,a little boracic acid might be sprinkled over the cut surface as an additional precaution1 but this is unnecessary if ordinary cleanliness is observed4 ,if after a few days the kid's scrotum swells1 and does not discharge1 the scrotum should be opened with a clean instrument4 ,less than one-half of one per cent4 of the kids will die from this operation4 ,,ridglings4 ,while castrating the kids the operator will discover that some of the kids have but one descended testicle4 ,when these animals are found the descended testicle should be removed1 and they should be recognized by some distinctive ear mark or brand4 ,these animals will develop like bucks4 ,it is a disputed question as to whether they are able to exercise regenerative power1 but they will cover the does1 and in some cases they probably get kids4 ,the undescended testicle can be removed1 but as the testicle usually lies close to the kidney1 and is hard to distinguish from that organ in the young animal1 it is best to delay the operation until the ridgling is at least six months old4 ,the instruments necessary for this operation are a stout rope to suspend the animal1 a clean sharp knife1 scissors to remove the mohair from the place to be incised1 and sharp needles threaded with silk4 ,the knife1 scissors and silk should be immersed in a hot #e carbolic acid solution1 and they should be kept in this solution except when actually in use4 ,the rope is fastened to the hind legs of the animal and he is suspended in midair4 ,an assistant steadies the body of the goat4 ,the operator selects a place on the loin of the goat1 about two or three inches away from the backbone1 below the ribs and above the hip bone1 on the side opposite to that which the descended testicle occupied4 ,he then shears the mohair from this part of the goat4 ,the mohair should be removed from a space at least eight inches square4 ,a lengthwise incision is then made through the skin and muscles1 or after the skin is cut1 the muscles can be separated with the fingers and the testicle is found4 ,it usually lies close to the backbone1 to the lower and inner side of the kidney4 ,it is usually undeveloped and much smaller than the kidney4 ,its surface is smooth and not indented like the kidney4 ,when it is discovered it can be withdrawn through the opening1 and adherent tissue clipped with the scissors4 ,the muscles and skin should be brought together with the silk thread4 ,the needles should pierce the muscles as well as the skin1 and the edges of the skin should approximate4 ,no hair should be allowed to remain between the cut surfaces1 as the wound will not heal rapidly4 ,after the wound is closed some boracic acid powder may be dusted over the wound1 and the goat allowed his freedom4 ,after ten days or two weeks the silk threads should be cut and drawn out1 as they will not absorb1 and they will irritate the wound4 ,if this operation is carefully performed1 and strict cleanliness adhered to1 less than #b of the animals operated upon will die4 ,,growth4 ,a kid at birth is usually small and weak1 possibly weighing from four to six pounds4 ,for the first few days of life he grows slowly1 but as the organs adapt themselves to the new life1 the kid becomes strong and grows rapidly4 ,when the kid is born he is covered with a coarse hair1 and it is not until he is from three to five weeks old that the fine mohair fibers appear growing between the coarser hairs4 ,the kid continues to grow gradually1 and at three or four months he weighs from twenty to forty pounds4 ,the mohair may now be from two to four inches long4 ,at a year old the ,angora goat will weigh from fifty to eighty pounds1 and the mohair may be as long as twelve inches1 or sometimes longer4 ,,weaning4 ,when does are bred once a year the kid should be weaned before the doe is rebred4 ,this allows the doe time to recuperate before her maternal powers are again brought into active service4 ,then1 too1 a doe nursing a kid through the winter1 enters the spring with a depleted system and produces a poor quality and small quantity of mohair4 ,the kids should be weaned when they are about five months old1 as this allows the mother at least two months rest before she is rebred4 ,,marking4 ,there are various reasons for marking goats1 and the methods employed vary as widely as the reasons therefor4 ,the object in view is to put some mark of identification either permanent or temporary upon the animal4 ,the ears may be cropped in certain ways1 a brand may be placed upon the nose1 or tags or buttons placed in the ears1 or characters tattooed into the ears4 ,probably the most permanent mark is the tattoo1 and if it be placed on the inner hairless surface of the ear1 it is as lasting as the tattoo so often seen in a man's arm4 ,illustration ,,diseases4 ,some of the older breeders supposed that the ,angora was not subject to any disease1 but as goats have been introduced into new territory1 they have become affected by some of the same troubles which bother sheep1 but usually to a less degree4 ,some of the worst sheep diseases1 such as scab1 do not bother goats1 but the goat has some special complaints which do not affect sheep4 ,very few carcasses are condemned by the government meat inspectors at the large packing centers4 ,tuberculosis is almost unknown4 ,,lice4 ,nearly all goats are infested with lice1 a small reddish louse1 a goat louse4 ,lice rarely kills the animal infested1 but they do annoy the goat greatly4 ,goats will not fatten readily1 and the mohair is usually dead 7lusterless71 if the animals are badly infested4 ,it is an easy matter to discover the lice4 ,the goats scratch their bodies with their horns and make the fleece appear a little ragged4 ,on separating the mohair the lice can easily be seen with the naked eye4 ,the best means of ridding the goats of this annoyance is with almost any of the sheep dips4 ,a dip which does not stain the mohair should be selected4 ,the goats should be dipped after shearing1 as it does not take much dip then to penetrate to the skin4 ,one dipping will usually kill the lice1 but the albuminous coat covering the nits 7eggs of the louse71 are not easily penetrated1 and it is usually necessary to dip again within ten days1 so that the nits1 which have hatched since the first dipping1 will not have a chance to mature and deposit more eggs4 ,goats can be dipped at almost any time1 but if in full fleece they will require a larger quantity of liquid1 and if the weather is very cold1 there is some danger4 ,,stomach ,,worms4 ,stomach worms affect goats1 and in some instances their ravages prove fatal4 ,there are a variety of these worms1 but the general effect on the animal is about the same4 ,they are usually worse in wet years4 ,the goats affected become thin and weak4 ,they usually scour4 ,sometimes the worm1 or part of the worm1 can be found in the feces4 ,these same symptoms are caused by starvation1 so the two should not be confounded4 ,there are many drenches in use for the treatment of this trouble1 and some of the proprietary remedies have given some relief4 ,goats running on dry1 high land are rarely affected4 ,verminous pneumonia of sheep may also occur in goats4 ,,foot ,,rot4 ,foot rot is a disease which affects both goats and sheep1 if they are kept on low wet land4 ,it rarely proves fatal1 and can be cured if the cause is removed1 but it sometimes causes a good deal of trouble4 ,the goats' feet swell between the toes and become so sore that the animals are compelled to walk on their knees4 ,it can be cured by carefully trimming the feet and using solutions of blue stone4 ,goats should not be put on wet land4 ,sometimes the glands of the neck enlarge1 a condition known as goitre4 ,this is sometimes fatal with kids1 but usually cures itself4 ,there is no known remedy for it1 but it is comparatively rare4 ,anthrax1 tuberculosis1 pleuro-pneumonia and meningitis1 will affect goats1 but these diseases are very rare4 ,some of the southern goats have swollen ears1 but what the cause of this trouble is no one has yet determined4 ,,poisons4 ,there are several plants which will poison goats1 but very little is known about them4 ,some of the laurel family are responsible for the death of a good many goats yearly1 and some milk-weeds will kill if taken in sufficient amount at certain times of the year4 ,these plants should be avoided as much as possible4 ,treatment has been rather unsatisfactory4 ,if the poisoned animal is treated at once1 an active purgative may rid the system of the irritant4 ,epsom salts and crotin oil have given relief4 ,mr4 ,schreiner describes an epidemic of pleuro-pneumonia which destroyed many flocks of ,angora goats in ,south ,africa4 ,the disease was effectually stamped out in that country1 and it has never appeared in ,american flocks4 ,mr4 ,thompson has described a disease called ,takosis1 which was supposed to have caused the death of many goats in the ,eastern ,states1 and along the ,missouri ,river ,valley4 ,some claimed that this trouble was caused by change of climate1 others thought that it was starvation or lack of proper care4 ,there is very little evidence of it now in the ,united ,states4 ,all in all1 the ,angora goat is the healthiest of domestic animals4 ,illustration ,our ,own ,flocks4 ,in #ahfe1 ,mr4 ,c4 ,p4 ,bailey started in the ,angora goat industry4 ,there were then very few ,angora goats in the ,united ,states1 and those in ,california had originated from two thoroughbred bucks secured from ,col4 ,peters of ,atlanta1 ,georgia4 ,in #ahff1 ,mr4 ,bailey secured a pair of ,angoras from ,w4 ,w4 ,chenery of ,boston1 ,mass4 ,there were two other pairs secured at this time for other parties1 and these three does were the first thoroughbred does brought to ,california4 ,the first two goats cost ,mr4 ,bailey #ajjj4 ,the first thoroughbred ,angora kid dropped in ,california was by ,mr4 ,bailey's doe4 ,in #ahfi1 ,mr4 ,bailey furnished money to bring the ,brown ,diehl importation to ,california1 with the understanding that he was to have first choice4 ,the ,angoras secured from this lot were the best goats which had been brought to ,california up to that time4 ,in #ahgf1 ,mr4 ,bailey selected the best buck of the ,hall ,harris importation1 and paid seventy-five dollars service fee for three of his ,brown ,diehl does4 ,later he purchased forty-one head from ,hall ,harris4 ,some of these were the ,brown ,diehl goats1 and some from the ,hall ,harris importation of #ahgf4 ,twelve years after ,mr4 ,bailey commenced breeding ,angoras1 he moved his entire grade-flock1 consisting of about #ajjj animals1 to ,nevada1 and maintained his thoroughbred flocks in ,california4 ,by careful selection1 rigid culling1 and strict attention given his flocks1 ,mr4 ,bailey had brought them by #ahib1 to an excellence beyond any of the imported stock4 ,in #ahic1 ,mr4 ,bailey imported two fine bucks from ,south ,africa4 ,an account of the buck ,pasha will be found in this book4 ,in #ahii1 another direct importation from ,south ,africa was made1 and the great sire ,capetown was secured4 ,in #aija1 ,dr4 ,w4 ,c4 ,bailey secured four of the best ,angoras obtainable in ,asia ,minor1 by personal selection1 and added them to the ,bailey flocks4 ,this was the first importation made in ,america from ,asia ,minor for twenty-five years4 ,during all these years1 since #ahfe1 ,mr4 ,bailey had been constantly at work with his ,angora flocks4 ,there were many hardships to overcome1 and most of the original ,angora breeders gave up the struggle4 ,we honestly believe that if it had not been for his perseverance the ,angora industry would not be in its present prosperous condition4 ,register4 ,we have been keeping a register of our stock1 and this register is the oldest in the ,united ,states1 or the world4 ,animals registered in the ,bailey ,angora ,goat ,record have a universal standing4 ,manufacturers of ,gloves1 ,robes and ,trimmings4 ,the ,angora ,robe and ,glove ,company was established in #ahge1 with ,c4 ,p4 ,bailey as president4 ,later ,mr4 ,bailey secured sole control of this company4 ,we have been using goat skins and mohair in large quantities for the last thirty years1 and to-day ,,we ,,pay ,,the ,,highest ,,cash ,,prices ,,for ,,goat ,,skins ,,and ,,mohair4 ,buck ,selections4 ,from the above history it will be seen that we have several different strains of bucks to offer1 and the fact that we have taken the ,grand ,prizes and highest awards at the ,new ,orleans ,world's ,fair1 #ahhe1 ,chicago ,world's ,fair1 #ahic1 ,st4 ,louis ,world's ,fair1 #aijd1 and sweep stakes at ,state ,fairs and ,national ,meetings for the last thirty years1 should put these bucks on the top4 ,we have sold thousands in ,united ,states1 and they have given almost universal satisfaction4 ,does4 ,our thoroughbred does trace their ancestry to the best stock obtainable4 ,we always have a good many grade ,angora does on the range1 and we are prepared to quote prices on carloads1 or small lots4 ,we gladly furnish information4 ,c4 ,p4 ,,bailey ,,sons ,,co41 ,san ,jose1 ,california4 ,illustration3 ,,persian ,,fat ,,tail ,,sheep ,in #ahib1 we received the first importation of ,persian ,fat-,tailed ,sheep4 ,they are very hardy1 rapid growers 7the lambs often gaining a pound a day for the first one hundred days17 good rangers almost free from disease1 and to cross onto fine wooled sheep for mutton and wool1 we consider them of much value4