THE ANGORA GOAT. 17 



and certified to by several gentlemen of scientific eminence well known to them, they 

 are convinced that the fiber of these fleeces is identical in character, and fully equal 

 in value, to that from which the highly prized Cashmere shawls were made. The 

 fleeces on exhibition, and now under examination, amoimt to from 4 to 8 pounds 

 each. 



The enterprise exhibited by the introduction of these animals into this country 

 and their propagation can not be too highly regarded. 



First. These animals are long lived, such being the case with the whole goat race. 



Second. They are prolific, breeding at the age of 1 year, with a period of gestation 

 of about five months, and yielding twins almost universally after the first birth. 



Third. They are hardy, experience having shown that they will thrive well in our 

 climate from Georgia to New England, and that they require coarse and cheap food — 

 as the inferior grasses, briers, bushes, etc. — such as is refused by other grazing 

 animals. 



Fourth. They produce a fleece of from 4 to 8 pounds, valued at from $6 to $8 per 

 pound in France, or Paisley, Scotland, for the manufacture of those high-priced 

 shawls. These fleeces can be produced, when the animals become mmaerous, at a 

 less cost than the common sheep's wool and far superior to it. 



Another fact of great practical value to our agricultural interests is the facility with 

 which the Cashmere goats breed with the common goats of our country. 



From these and other considerations, of the correctness of which your committee 

 have entire confidence, it will be obvious that every encouragement should be shown 

 this new enterprise — a bold and judicious movement. 



B. P. Johnson. 

 Charles J. Goodrich. 

 James J. Mapes. 



A committee for the New York State fair, held in New York City 

 in 1854, reported as follows: 



The undersigned can not avoid the conclusion that in the goats imported, and 

 whose descendants have been the subjects of this examination, we have the first- 

 known specimens of that valuable race of animals from whose hairy fleece the cele- 

 brated shawls are manufactured known in commerce by the inappropriate name of 

 "red camel's hair." As the fleece does not appear to have deteriorated in the com- 

 paratively warm climate of South Carolina, the distinctive character of the race is 

 hard to be obliterated, while in the northern region of the United States this char- 

 acter can not well fail to be permanent. Viewed in this light, the introduction of 

 this animal promises to be of more value to the agriculture of the United States than 

 that of almost any other animal. 



James Renwick. 



Joseph R. Chilton. 



W. H. Ellet. 



Many other similar reports were made by committees of fair asso- 

 ciations about that time, but those quoted serve to show how favorably 

 goats were regarded. It should be stated here, however, that there 

 are in these reports many erroneous statements. For instance, the 

 goat is not the Cashmere; they drop twins occasionally only, and their 

 fleece never did })ring as high as $6 to $8 a pound. 



All of the Davis importation of purebred Angoras were purchased 

 in 1858 by Col. Richard Peters, of Atlanta, Ga., with the exception 

 11T86— No. 27—01 2 



