CHAPTER VI 



FUR FARMING FOR BROADTAIL, PERSIAN LAMB, ASTRAKHAN 



AND KRIMMER 



It is said there are 5000 species of mammals, of which 23 have 

 been domesticated and 60 are fur bearers. 



Broadtail, Persian lamb, Astrakhan and krimmer represent the 

 dividing line and meeting place between these two. They are 

 both domesticated and fur bearers. Perhaps our children's children 

 will live to see the day when all the fur bearers are domesticated. 

 Perhaps that is what the prophet meant when he foretold the lion 

 lying down with the lamb. Certainly, the cat suckling the fox 

 kittens may be a prototype of what is coming. 



To clear the decks of common misconceptions first — Persian 

 lamb isn't Persian lamb at all. It comes from Bokhara, Turkestan, 

 Central Asia ; but as it first came to European markets by Persian 

 caravans, it took the name Persian lamb. 



Second, the curliest and glossiest Persian lamb is not obtained 

 by killing the mother to get the unborn kid. The kid to preserve 

 the gloss and curl must be killed within a few days of birth, soon 

 enough to avoid the reddish tinge that comes to the fur and can 

 be seen by holding it up between the eye and the light. 



Sheraz is half-Persian lamb. It comes from the south of Persia 

 and resembles wool more than fur. 



Next, Astrakhan is not dog skin. It is a lamb skin from the 

 south of Russia. 



Gray Persian lamb is really krimmer, lamb from the Crimean 

 region of Russia. 



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