Miscellanies. 209 
_ The first race of Cashmere goats, imported from Persia to France, 
under the patronage of the government, promised little profit to the 
owners. They were healthy, and tolerably hardy, but of various 
sizes and colors; and the soft fleece, which alone was valuable, was 
very small in quantity, and overgrown, and almost concealed by long 
hairs. After a few years, however, a very superior herd was raised. 
at Versailles, by M. Polanceau, the director of the “ferme modéle, 
at Grignon,” possessing the best qualities of the original Cashmere, 
with those of the-soft, long, silky-haired, native Angora. M. Polan- 
ceau states, that some of his improved breed yield “thirty ounces of 
down in one season,” and the whole herd produce from twelve to 
twenty ounces each; while the original Cashmere never yields more 
than four, and seldom exceeds two ounces. 
The animals are “ less capricious than the common goat, may more 
easily be kept in a flock, and are more docile even than sheep.” 
The down falls in a manner similar to the wool from sheep, in the 
month of March, and may be taken off in locks by separating it 
gently with the hand from the skin. It is best, however, when shear- 
ed off in one fleece as soon as it begins to loosen; for the parallel- 
ism of the filaments is thus better preserved, and it is more readily 
combed and prepared for manufacturing purposes. | 
They are not, as has been apprehended, difficult to keep, but are 
allowed to remain all winter in open sheds. Like all other browsing 
animals, “they prefer the leaves of trees, but thrive well on hay, 
straw, green fodder, or in meadows. They also feed with. equal 
facility on heaths, and on the most abrupt declivities, where sheep 
would perish.” 
M. Polanceau, at first, gave them aromatic herbs, occasionally, 
for a year or two, but of late has discontinued the use of them, 
without any injurious effect. The down commences growing in 
September, and in March arrives at full maturity, when it bh 
unless removed artificially. 
The Society awarded to William Riley, Esq. their gold Isis medal, 
for his importation from France of a select number of these valuable 
animals, with the view of introducing them into the colony of New 
South Wales, and Van Diemen’s Land; where the wools of the me- 
rino and Saxony sheep have so far improved, as to be preferred, by 
intelligent manufacturers, to those brought from any part of Europe. 
The southern part of New South Wales, and Van Diemen’s Land, 
are in corresponding south latitudes with Cashmere in Thibet and 
- Vou. XXV.—No. 1. 
