00 The 'Book of the Coat. 



crosses are made, when it is about equal in appearance and 

 value to the thorough -breds. Whilst the thorough-bred 

 has rarely more than one kid at a birth, the grade (cross) 

 usually has twins, which they raise well, especially those 

 graded from the milk goat, as they retain their milking 

 properties for several generations. I had a half Angora 

 and half Maltese ewe that gave 4 quarts of milk per day 

 for months, and after half of her udder was destroyed 

 she raised two kids each season until her death, usually 

 the largest on the farm." 



Many years ago a pair of Angora goats were sent over 

 from Australia as a present to the Baroness Burdett- 

 Coutts, and located at Highgate. These were crossed 

 with some half-bred English and Nubian goats on the 

 estate, and produced some very handsome stock, partaking 

 strongly of the Mohair breed. 



Can the Goat be Crossed With the Sheep ? 



This seems a moot question, as authorities differ on the 

 point. Colonel R. Peters, a contributor to the American 

 Agriculturist, who has had great experience with Angora 

 goats, writes : " Prior to the year 1860 I tried many 

 experiments, in hopes of obtaining a cross between the goat 

 and sheep, and failed in every instance. Extensive corre- 

 spondence with other breeders has convinced me that the 

 cross cannot be obtained. Dr. J. Bachman, the celebrated 

 naturalist of Charleston, S.C., who was in correspondence 

 with the most distinguished naturalists of Europe, 

 informed me that he had no faith in the theory, and did 

 not believe the cross obtainable." On the other hand, 

 Sir Samuel Wilson states that the cross between the goat 

 and the Merino sheep has been tried, and the progeny was 

 not unfertile, though it reproduced with difficulty. He 

 mentions that " Professor Cretzchmar, a learned naturalist 

 residing near Frankfort-on-the-Main, experimented on 



