... Preface. 



throughout the world. About the same period and in the 

 same language M. N. Julmy, Professor in the School of 

 Practical Agriculture at Econe (Valais), brought out his 

 monograph on the Breeds of Goats of Switzerland ; whilst 

 Belgian and German writers have added their quota to 

 this literature. Translated extracts from the two French 

 works named will be found introduced into these pages, 

 and for this no apology is offered. Many readers who are 

 not conversant with that language will no doubt be glad 

 to have set before them in a way they can understand the 

 opinions and statements of foreign authorities, especially 

 of one having the knowledge and experience of M. Crepin, 

 to whom the writer has to express indebtedness for much 

 useful information in the matter of breeds, as also for 

 photographs of some foreign goats which have been repro- 

 duced in this book. 



Coming now to our own country, since the last edition 

 of this work was issued other writers have found some- 

 thing interesting and instructive to tell about goat-keeping. 

 Mr. Bryan Hook in his practical little book, " Milch Goats 

 and their Management,'' which appeared in 1896, and the 

 more recent " summing up " by " Home Counties " of the 

 evidence he has collected from his twenty-four contributory 

 experts in " The Case for the Goat/' are conclusive proof 

 of the advance in goat-keeping and the demand there is 

 for works of this kind. In view of all this, therefore, it 

 was manifestly the duty of the present writer to revise and 

 to bring up to date " The Book of the Goat " (which in 

 its original form was the first work devoted to this subject 

 in the English language). This, indeed, was the more 

 necessary considering that the Third Edition had for some 

 three years been out of print and that applications were 

 continually being received for copies. 



The Publisher, as one having the chief voice in the 

 matter, was accordingly approached on the subject, and 



