The Angora or "Mohair" Goat. 75 



of the most prominent being Colonel R. Peters, of 

 Atalanta, who after an experience extending over many 

 years regarded these animals as a valuable acquisition to 

 the resources of the country. From this remark, and 

 considering the known go-ahead, enterprising character of 

 the Yankees, who use mohair in enormous quantities, one 

 would have expected to see the Angora ere this as 

 completely established in America as the sheep ; but 

 though Angora breeding is fast developing, such is not yet 

 the case. 



In the Antipodes the first importation was made in 

 1853, by the Acclimatation Society of Australia, the goats 

 being located in the Royal Park at Melbourne. These 

 answered so well that in 1866 a further importation of 

 ninety-three head was made, and the whole flourished 

 and increased amazingly. In 1870, however, a large 

 proportion of the herd was sold, and specimens distributed 

 over the country, some being transferred to the care of 

 Sir Samuel Wilson. 



As far as commercial results are concerned, in no 

 country has the introduction of the Mohair goat met with 

 so much success as in Cape Colony, where the raw material 

 is now produced in such large quantities as to form an 

 important item in the resources of that colony. The 

 following figures show the quantity and value of mohair 

 exported from the colony, and the rapid increase of this 

 industry* : 



In 1857 870 Ib. value 10 



l86 7 5> 8 3 2 ;i>9 6 3 



,, 1877 1,433,774 ,, ,, ^116,382 



,, 1887 7>i53>73 , ^268,446 



,, 1897 12,583,601 ,, ,, ^676,644 



* " The Cape now yields about one-half of the world's supply 

 of mohair, or about the same quantity that Turkey yields " 

 (Schreiner). 



